Raw material treasure in Norway: Europe is looking for new sources for phosphate!

Raw material treasure in Norway: Europe is looking for new sources for phosphate!

In Stavanger's Norwegian, a remarkable find has been made: Norge Mining has discovered a huge occurrence of critical raw materials that is considered the largest in the world. This occurrence could be of enormous importance for European industry, especially in times when western countries urgently are looking for alternative sources of raw materials. The discovery is not only an economic hope, but could also be crucial for security of supply in a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

The search for new raw materials was initiated primarily by the uncertainties during coronavirus pandemic. These raised awareness of the dependencies of the western countries of raw materials, the supply chains of which can be sensitively disturbed by global crises. The western nations are therefore forced to rethink their strategies for procurement of raw materials.

critical raw materials and their importance

According to Michael Wurmser, the founder of Norge Mining, the focus is on a great occurrence of phosphate rock, which not only contains phosphate, but also vanadium, titanium and iron. Over 500 square kilometers are licensed for dismantling, with the company estimated to suspect 70 billion tons in the upper third of the ore rock. This is of particular importance, because phosphate is not only required for fertilizer production, but also finds applications in car batteries, solar panels and the semiconductor industry.

Wurmser emphasizes that Norway's original focus on oil and gas neglected the dismantling of these valuable resources. In view of the current political and economic conditions, however, the creation of sustainable mining structures is essential. The need for these raw materials has grown worldwide and solutions urgently need to be found.

The raw materials are classified as "critical" because the majority come from countries worldwide that are exposed to geopolitical risks. 70 percent of the phosphate come from China, for example, and trade is increasingly affected by political tensions. This makes the Norwegian discovery all the more valuable because it represents a nearby, more politically more stable source for these raw materials.

Norge Mining not only sees itself as a supplier of raw materials, but is also strategically well positioned to support the entire supply chain. For this purpose, the company holds participations in ports in Norway, which enable it to efficiently transport the raw materials to all of Europe.

technical challenges and future plans

The mining dismantling plans are ambitious. Based on current studies, the company plans to promote 20 million tons annually. This would be enough to provide all of Europe with phosphate, vanadium and titanium. Wurmser explains that the entire funding area is divided into zones and the first zone that has been examined so far only represents around five percent of the total area.

The quality of the mined rock is also important. In contrast to phosphate from other countries, especially from North Africa, the Norwegian rock contains less harmful contaminants. This could be important for European companies that have to consider strict environmental protection requirements.

Nevertheless, there are challenges. The time factor for permits and the implementation of extensive environmental studies play a crucial role in the mining process. Wurmser emphasizes that the speed of the authorities in Norway has recently improved, but it remains important to correctly carry out all the necessary studies in order to protect the environment and to make the mining practices sustainable.