IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/circec/v4y2024i4d10.1007_s43615-024-00369-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Circularity Reinforcement of Critical Raw Materials in Europe: A Case of Niobium

Author

Listed:
  • Theresa Rennenberg

    (University of Twente)

  • Yifei Yu

    (University of Twente)

  • Luca Fraccascia

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Devrim Murat Yazan

    (University of Twente)

Abstract

Critical Raw Materials attract increasing attention due to their depleting reserves and low recyclability. Niobium, one of the most rare and vital elements, is primarily found in Brazil. This research explores the potential impact of Circular Economy (CE) strategies on mitigating niobium's criticality within Europe. First, a niobium supply chain is designed and analysed by Enterprise Input–Output modelling. Second, the supply risk is calculated based on the criticality matrix proposed by the European Commission under three scenarios associated with resources, technologies, and policies. The results show that urban mining is a potential solution to reduce niobium’s criticality and mitigate its environmental impacts. A higher recycling input rate and/or a mix of recycling and substitution strategies is necessary to offset niobium’s criticality. Aligned with the CE action plan, the research offers a scientific foundation to strategically prevent the risk of niobium supply shortages.

Suggested Citation

  • Theresa Rennenberg & Yifei Yu & Luca Fraccascia & Devrim Murat Yazan, 2024. "Circularity Reinforcement of Critical Raw Materials in Europe: A Case of Niobium," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 2449-2472, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:4:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s43615-024-00369-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-024-00369-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43615-024-00369-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s43615-024-00369-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Devrim Murat Yazan & Luca Fraccascia, 2020. "Sustainable operations of industrial symbiosis: an enterprise input-output model integrated by agent-based simulation," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(2), pages 392-414, January.
    2. Wang, H. & Pan, Chen & Wang, Qunwei & Zhou, P., 2020. "Assessing sustainability performance of global supply chains: An input-output modeling approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 285(1), pages 393-404.
    3. Will McDowall & Yong Geng & Beijia Huang & Eva Barteková & Raimund Bleischwitz & Serdar Türkeli & René Kemp & Teresa Doménech, 2017. "Circular Economy Policies in China and Europe," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 651-661, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ke Zhang & Xingwei Wang, 2021. "Pollution Haven Hypothesis of Global CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x —Evidence from 43 Economies and 56 Sectors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-27, June.
    2. Aurelia Rybak & Aleksandra Rybak, 2021. "Methods of Ensuring Energy Security with the Use of Hard Coal—The Case of Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Yiming Zhuang & Meltem Denizel & Frank Montabon, 2023. "Examining Firms’ Sustainability Frontier: Efficiency in Reaching the Triple Bottom Line," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-22, May.
    4. Ahmad, Farhan & Bask, Anu & Laari, Sini & Robinson, Craig V., 2023. "Business management perspectives on the circular economy: Present state and future directions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    5. J. Brusselaers & J. Gillabel, 2024. "How Circular Is the European Policy Landscape?," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 1559-1585, June.
    6. Yuxue Yang & Xuejiao Tan & Yafei Shi & Jun Deng, 2023. "What are the core concerns of policy analysis? A multidisciplinary investigation based on in-depth bibliometric analysis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Yeo, Lip Siang & Teng, Sin Yong & Ng, Wendy Pei Qin & Lim, Chun Hsion & Leong, Wei Dong & Lam, Hon Loong & Wong, Yat Choy & Sunarso, Jaka & How, Bing Shen, 2022. "Sequential optimization of process and supply chains considering re-refineries for oil and gas circularity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 322(C).
    8. Gavin Melles, 2021. "Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    9. Jing Shao, 2019. "Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 1507-1517, December.
    10. Mohammadreza Akbari & John L. Hopkins, 2022. "Digital technologies as enablers of supply chain sustainability in an emerging economy," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 689-710, December.
    11. Andrea Cecchin & Roberta Salomone & Pauline Deutz & Andrea Raggi & Laura Cutaia, 2021. "What Is in a Name? The Rising Star of the Circular Economy as a Resource-Related Concept for Sustainable Development," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 83-97, June.
    12. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    13. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    14. Qinglan Liu & Adriana Hofmann Trevisan & Miying Yang & Janaina Mascarenhas, 2022. "A framework of digital technologies for the circular economy: Digital functions and mechanisms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2171-2192, July.
    15. Isabel Mendes, 2020. "The Circular Economy: an Ancient Term that Became Polysemic," Working Papers Department of Economics 2020/02, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
    16. Luo, Anran & Rodríguez, Fabricio & Leipold, Sina, 2020. "Explaining the political gridlock behind international Circular Economy: Chinese and European perspectives on the Waste Ban," SocArXiv uyw5g, Center for Open Science.
    17. Jarmo Uusikartano & Hannele Väyrynen & Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, 2020. "Public Agency in Changing Industrial Circular Economy Ecosystems: Roles, Modes and Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-27, November.
    18. Serdar Türkeli & Martine Schophuizen, 2019. "Decomposing the Complexity of Value: Integration of Digital Transformation of Education with Circular Economy Transition," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-22, August.
    19. Mukesh Kumar & Rakesh D. Raut & Mahak Sharma & Vikas Kumar Choubey & Sanjoy Kumar Paul, 2022. "Enablers for resilience and pandemic preparedness in food supply chain," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 1198-1223, December.
    20. Patrizia Ghisellini & Ivana Quinto & Renato Passaro & Sergio Ulgiati, 2024. "Exploring environmental and social performances of circular start‐ups: An orientation and certification assessment," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(4), pages 3222-3241, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:4:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s43615-024-00369-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.