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The geography of mining and its environmental impact in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Bastianin

    (Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei)

  • Chiara F. Del Bo

    (Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods, University of Milan)

  • Luqman Shamsudin

    (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan)

Abstract

We map the mining sector in Europe, with a focus on Energy Transition Metals (ETMs), and present an in-depth analysis of the environmental impact and associated monetary costs, at the regional level, of extraction activities. We aim to offer a spatially disaggregated view of the current mining projects and associated environmental costs in terms of CO2 emissions and their monetary value. To do this, we collected global warming potential (GWP) data from Life Cycle Assessment Impact Analysis (LCIA) and linked these to their expected monetary value. By considering the full spectrum of sourced ETMs, we map the environmental, physical, and monetary impact of current mining activities in Europe, and understand what a further increase in exploiting European reserves to reduce dependence from abroad and facilitate the green transition, could imply for European regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Bastianin & Chiara F. Del Bo & Luqman Shamsudin, 2025. "The geography of mining and its environmental impact in Europe," Working Papers 2025.08, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2025.08
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Critical raw materials; Europe; Life Cycle Assessment Impact Analysis; mining; regional;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L72 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Primary Products and Construction - - - Mining, Extraction, and Refining: Other Nonrenewable Resources
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe
    • Q32 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Exhaustible Resources and Economic Development
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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