Analyzing critical material demand: A revised approach

Journal Article · 06 March 2018 · Science of the Total Environment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.283 · OSTI ID:1478465

Nguyen, Ruby Thuy  ^[1]; Fishman, Tomer  ^[2]; Zhao, Fu  ^[3]; Imholte, Devin D. ^[1]; Graedel, Thomas E.  ^[2]

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1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
2. Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Center for Industrial Ecology
3. Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

Apparent consumption has been widely used as a metric to estimate material demand. However, with technology advancement and complexity of material use, this metric has become less useful in tracking material flows, estimating recycling feedstocks, and conducting life cycle analysis of critical materials. Here, we call for future research efforts to focus on building a multi-tiered consumption database for the global trade network of critical materials. This approach will help track how raw materials are processed into major components (e.g., motor assemblies) and eventually incorporated into complete pieces of equipment (e.g., wind turbines). Foreseeable challenges would involve: 1) difficulty in obtaining a comprehensive picture of trade partners due to business sensitive information, 2) complexity of materials going into components of a machine, and 3) maintaining such a database. We propose ways to address these challenges such as making use of digital design, learning from the experience of building other databases, and developing a strategy for financial sustainability. Additionally, we recommend that, with the advancement of information technology, small steps toward building such a database will contribute significantly to our understanding of material flows in our society and the associated human impacts on the environment.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Advanced Manufacturing Office (EE-5A)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1478465
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU--17-43879-Rev000
• Journal Information: Science of the Total Environment, Journal Name: Science of the Total Environment Journal Issue: C Vol. 630; ISSN 0048-9697
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English