Antimony, beryllium, cobalt, gallium, magnesium, Indian, niobium, tantalum, tungsten ... They are just some of the main ingredients in the manufacture of computer equipment and mobile devices.
The majority of the components are beginning to be in short supply and the European Commission is taking measures, proposing one of the oldest solutions and one of the least incorporated in our current ultra-consumerist society: Recycling
Recently, 14 fundamental minerals have been identified for technological development:
- Antimony
- Beryllium
- Cobalt
- Spar
- Fluorine
- Gallium
- Germanium
- Graphite
- Indian
- Magnesium
- Niobium
- Metals of the Platinum Group
- Rare Lands
- Tantalum
- Tungsten
According to forecasts, it is indicated that the demand for these fundamental raw materials could triple by the year 2030. The growth of developing economies and the massification of technology will seriously jeopardize the supply of the elements.
In addition to this, a large part of the production comes mainly from a few countries: China, Russia, Republic of the Congo and Brazil.
The main emerging technologies that need these raw materials are microcondensers, lithium-ion batteries and synthetic fuels, thin-film photovoltaic modules, integrated circuits, white light emitting diodes, fiber optic cable and optical technologies infrared, screens, fuel cells, catalysts, permanent magnets and laser technology, etc ...
To avoid future problems, it is suggested to improve the efficiency of the recycling of raw materials or products that contain them, such as cell phones, as well as to encourage the replacement of certain minerals determined by more abundant new materials.
In the case of the Congo, most of these basic elements come from the areas in greatest conflict, something totally parallel and similar to what happens with the Blood Diamonds in which tribal groups exploit the resources and obtain illicit profits based on abuse human using extreme violence as a means of control.
That is where the idea of the “Raise Hope for congo†foundation was born, which tries to raise awareness about this situation; raise awareness and find out to the whole world that the distant problems of the African jungles also carry a touch of industrialization that makes us indirectly responsible with the fact of constantly acquiring new devices.
I attached the link for you to see this awareness campaign.
