In Focus: Sustainable Critical Mineral Extraction

Given US goals to electrify the transportation sector, demand for the critical minerals used to power electric vehicle batteries likely will only grow. How can we ensure that these minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, are sustainably and ethically sourced? Beia Spiller, a fellow at Resources for the Future (RFF) and director of RFF’s Transportation Program, shares her thoughts on the need for thoughtful extraction policies and potential innovative alternatives to unsustainable mining practices. Read more of Spiller’s thoughts in her op-ed for Scientific American, which she coauthored with Sangita Kannan, a PhD candidate at the Colorado School of Mines.