Why a future without mining isn't the future
At least 90 percent of every electric car begins in a mine. The batteries. The chassis. The copper that carries every current. Without mining, the shift to electric simply cannot exist.
This is why we created eNimon, the no mine car. To show what our future world without mining would look like.
Mining for the green transition
This image was generated using AI.Minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt are essential components in today’s rapidly growing clean energy technologies, from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles. To meet the demand for critical raw materials, mining activities worldwide need to increase by as much as 15 to 20 times.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that the global need for critical minerals will triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040 to meet the needs of the energy transition towards net-zero emissions. To meet the Paris Agreement goals, more than three billion tons of energy transition minerals and metals are needed to deploy wind, solar and energy storage.
Mining for the green transitionHow to mine smart and efficiently
The skyrocketing demand for electrification metals requires intelligent mining. Sandvik delivers technologies that help the world reach net zero. “There wouldn’t be a green transition without mining. We want to electrify the world because it makes the world more sustainable”, says Mining President Mats Eriksson.
The modern underground mine is invisible, autonomous, electrified, digitalized and optimizes itself in real time with continuous data collection. Automated battery-electric vehicles and software remove the need for people underground, and it is on a completely different level compared to just ten years ago in terms of technology.
How to mine smart and efficientlyMaking the most of scarce assets
Digital mining supports increased extraction of the metals required for the green transition. It removes the lid of a mine to provide an overview in real time of what’s going on down there, which makes it possible to optimize the entire process from start to end.
Digital tools and autonomous mining also lead to a safer workplace. They make it possible to go deeper and operate in hazardous environments without exposing humans and you have the ability to install collision avoidance systems.
Making the most of scarce assetsThe electric mine of the future
The benefits with electrification in mining are almost too good to be true. It’s positive for workers´ health and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The machines are more productive and more powerful. And there is a strong business case already now.
Who will do the work?
Demand for critical minerals is soaring, but enrollment in mining studies is declining and young people are hesitant to join the sector. A new global research from Sandvik shows that only half of engineering students view the mining industry favorably but more than 90 percent would consider a career in mining if they understood its role in the green transition. So the mining industry needs to prove its sustainability credentials and increase the awareness of how it contributes to the green transition.
Who will do the work?Bridging talent gap in mining
At the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm, global industry leaders discuss how to inspire the next generation to see opportunity in the mining, a topic highlighted in a new Talent Report by Sandvik.
Watch the full conversationDownload the Talent Report Download the Talent Report
eNimon – the no mine car
Sandvik created an electric car without using any metals or minerals. The result is a car that’s essentially an empty shell — one that will never drive anywhere. It serves as a powerful illustration of why we need mining for almost everything we produce.
Read more about the campaign