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Urban Mining in Times of Raw Material Shortage

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  • Manfred Klinglmair
  • Johann Fellner

Abstract

The present article investigates to what extent and level of success urban mining—the recovery of resources from anthropogenic stock—has been applied in the past during shortages of primary resources. As a case study, the Austrian economy during World War I—when raw materials indeed had to be substituted from secondary sources—is analyzed here. By means of material flow analysis, the management of copper, an important and relatively scarce metal that is difficult to substitute, is examined. The combination of increased demand for copper (for ammunition) and constraints on supply from sources other than the domestic anthroposphere highlights the importance of planning for and surveying urban mining activities. The results also indicate limitations to extracting a large share of copper from the anthroposphere, even in the face of a critical shortage. Although extreme measures, such as confiscation, were taken, only 1.7 kilograms of copper per capita (kg Cu/cap), amounting to perhaps as little as 10% of the anthropogenic stock, could be made available through the end of the war.

Suggested Citation

  • Manfred Klinglmair & Johann Fellner, 2010. "Urban Mining in Times of Raw Material Shortage," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 14(4), pages 666-679, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:14:y:2010:i:4:p:666-679
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-9290.2010.00257.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Klinglmair, Manfred & Fellner, Johann, 2011. "Historical iron and steel recovery in times of raw material shortage: The case of Austria during World War I," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 179-187.
    2. Fuisz-Kehrbach, Sonja-Katrin, 2015. "A three-dimensional framework to explore corporate sustainability activities in the mining industry: Current status and challenges ahead," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P1), pages 101-115.
    3. Alexander Koutamanis & Boukje Van Reijn & Ellen Van Bueren, 2017. "Anticipating urban mining," ERES eres2017_70, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    4. Freyja L Knapp, 2016. "The birth of the flexible mine: Changing geographies of mining and the e-waste commodity frontier," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(10), pages 1889-1909, October.

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