Abstract
The dependence of modern society on critical and/or strategic minerals such as rare earth elements is continuously growing as a result of numerous end uses and other factors that have been recognized previously. This chapter proposes the adoption of a framework that can be used to guide the extraction of rare earth elements under sustainable development principles. The proposed framework includes fundamental elements that contribute to a holistic sustainable platform for rare earth elements. It expands on the existing sustainable development framework and proposes (1) five basic pillars: economy, society, environment, technology, and (geo)politics; (2) three controlling/limiting factors: policy, governance, and stakeholders; and (3) a number of output quantities to be used in decision making that can also be used as sustainable development indicators.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Rare Earths Industry |
| Subtitle of host publication | Technological, Economic, and Environmental Implications |
| Pages | 111-120 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128023280 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 22 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Rare earth elements
- Sustainable development
- Sustainable mining
- Swiss cheese model
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Environmental Science