HOME >
Carbon Neutrality Promotion >
Action Plan >
Promotion and decarbonization of mineral resource development
Promotion and decarbonization of mineral resource development
Due to the promotion and demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy power plants, demand for carbon-neutral-relevant minerals (hereafter “CN-relevant minerals”) is expected to increase. We will actively provide financial support for the exploration and development of CN-relevant minerals, and steadily conduct exploration overseas. We will also strengthen support for the development of production technology and metal recycling of CN-relevant minerals.
(Source: created by JOGMEC based on materials from the Mining Subcommittee of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
Promoting financial support for carbon neutrality
Plan：
After appropriate and sufficient risk assessment of a project, we provide equity capital up to a maximum of 75% for high-risk minerals (rare-earth, cobalt, lithium, nickel and PGM) essential for batteries (which are a key for electricity and greening). Doing this will lead to stable supply amid recent dramatically escalating prices and increasing supply risks.
Current status：
Effort was made to reduce resource-investment risk by increasing JOGMEC’s investment ratio in the investment for exploration, development, and production.
(Further information)
After appropriate and sufficient risk assessment of a project, we provide equity capital up to a maximum of 75% for high-risk minerals (rare-earth, cobalt, lithium, nickel and PGM) essential for batteries (which are a key for electricity and greening). Doing this will lead to stable supply amid recent dramatically escalating prices and increasing supply risks.
Current status：
Effort was made to reduce resource-investment risk by increasing JOGMEC’s investment ratio in the investment for exploration, development, and production.
| System | Overview |
|---|---|
| Exploration loans | Loan ratio: Base metal: max 70%; rare metal / uranium: max 80% |
| Equity Investments | Investment ratio: max 50% (except max 75% for nickel for battery, cobalt, lithium, rare earth, and platinum group metals） |
| Liability guarantees | Guarantee ratio: max 90%, Guarantee fee rate: 0.4-1.55%（guarantor: 0.1%） |
| Equity investments for developments and production | Investment ratio: max 50%（except max 75% for nickel for battery, cobalt, lithium, rare earth, and platinum group metals） |
(Further information)
Support for the development of metal recycling technology
Plan：
Demand for lithium is expected to increase due to the uptake of electric vehicles. We will promote domestic recycling businesses contributing to decarbonization by supporting the development of efficient and economical technology for recovery of high-purity lithium from used lithium-ion batteries.
Current status：
Study on the recovery technology of high-purity lithium from used lithium-ion batteries is being conducted.
(Further information)
Demand for lithium is expected to increase due to the uptake of electric vehicles. We will promote domestic recycling businesses contributing to decarbonization by supporting the development of efficient and economical technology for recovery of high-purity lithium from used lithium-ion batteries.
Current status：
Study on the recovery technology of high-purity lithium from used lithium-ion batteries is being conducted.
(Further information)
Promoting production technology development for CN-relevant minerals
Plan：
We will work on utilizing unused resources with the objective of diversifying the supply sources of CN-relevant minerals, and developing lower cost and more efficient production technology with the objective of strengthening the supply chain for crucial minerals which rely heavily on specific producing countries.
Current status：
At the Metals Technology Center, we are conducting a cobalt recovery project from copper tailings in collaboration with the Queensland State Government of Australia and others and rare earth separation using emulsion flow technology.
(Further information)
We will work on utilizing unused resources with the objective of diversifying the supply sources of CN-relevant minerals, and developing lower cost and more efficient production technology with the objective of strengthening the supply chain for crucial minerals which rely heavily on specific producing countries.
Current status：
At the Metals Technology Center, we are conducting a cobalt recovery project from copper tailings in collaboration with the Queensland State Government of Australia and others and rare earth separation using emulsion flow technology.
(Further information)
Promoting exploration of overseas mineral resources
Plan：
We will secure potential resources by organizing new exploration projects that focus on rare-earth elements, nickel, and cobalt, contributing to carbon neutrality and economic security. We will keep on transferring the exploration results to Japanese companies to develop while continuing to explore for new deposits.
Current status：
Several joint venture exploration projects of CN-relevant minerals are being conducted. New exploration projects are also under consideration.
(Further information)
We will secure potential resources by organizing new exploration projects that focus on rare-earth elements, nickel, and cobalt, contributing to carbon neutrality and economic security. We will keep on transferring the exploration results to Japanese companies to develop while continuing to explore for new deposits.
Current status：
Several joint venture exploration projects of CN-relevant minerals are being conducted. New exploration projects are also under consideration.
(Further information)
Investigation of mineral-specific activities based on material flow and supply chain analysis
Plan：
We will analyze the supply chain issues faced by each of the CN-relevant minerals and identify issues to be resolved, to secure a stable resource/raw material supply and strengthen the international competitiveness of the Japanese industry. We will determine not only the minerals (primary resource) from mines but also the material flow of the recycled raw materials (secondary resource) in these analyses and extraction of issues. This provides information and data that will contribute to the investigation of the construction of a recycling-oriented society.
Current status：
The material flows from the concentrate to manufacturing based on the research related to the domestic and international supply/demand trend are organizing. In particular, the material flows including the quantitative amount of recycling and stock for nickel and lithium are creating. Research for the evaluation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the mine and smelter/refinery is being conducted for contributing to the foundation of carbon-neutral society.
We will analyze the supply chain issues faced by each of the CN-relevant minerals and identify issues to be resolved, to secure a stable resource/raw material supply and strengthen the international competitiveness of the Japanese industry. We will determine not only the minerals (primary resource) from mines but also the material flow of the recycled raw materials (secondary resource) in these analyses and extraction of issues. This provides information and data that will contribute to the investigation of the construction of a recycling-oriented society.
Current status：
The material flows from the concentrate to manufacturing based on the research related to the domestic and international supply/demand trend are organizing. In particular, the material flows including the quantitative amount of recycling and stock for nickel and lithium are creating. Research for the evaluation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the mine and smelter/refinery is being conducted for contributing to the foundation of carbon-neutral society.
（Further information）
Support for CO2 reduction efforts in projects related to mine pollution prevention for abandoned mines
Plan：
To reduce CO2 in abandoned mines, we will further promote the spread of passive treatment technologies (technologies for mine drainage treatment utilizing natural energies to a maximum extent, such as gravity and microbiological processes) which we have been working on. Furthermore, we will promote joint surveys of development of low-carbon neutralization reagents used in the treatment of drainage from abandoned mines and CO2 mineralization using waste rock from abandoned mines. In doing so, we will progress towards a low-carbon society while also controlling mine pollution.
Current status：
The full-scale test of passive treatment technology and the joint surveys (on CO2 storage and restraining of mine drainage using mining waste materials, development of a low-carbon neutralization reagent, greening of abandoned mines using endophytes, and reuse of sludge) are being conducted.
(Further information)
To reduce CO2 in abandoned mines, we will further promote the spread of passive treatment technologies (technologies for mine drainage treatment utilizing natural energies to a maximum extent, such as gravity and microbiological processes) which we have been working on. Furthermore, we will promote joint surveys of development of low-carbon neutralization reagents used in the treatment of drainage from abandoned mines and CO2 mineralization using waste rock from abandoned mines. In doing so, we will progress towards a low-carbon society while also controlling mine pollution.
Current status：
The full-scale test of passive treatment technology and the joint surveys (on CO2 storage and restraining of mine drainage using mining waste materials, development of a low-carbon neutralization reagent, greening of abandoned mines using endophytes, and reuse of sludge) are being conducted.
(Further information)
- If you do not have Adobe Reader already installed on your computer, you can download the installer and instructions free from the Adobe Web site.
