Digitalisation and Natural Resources

Introduction

In addition to urbanisation, climate change, and the growth of emerging markets, digitalisation is a significant megatrend. Digitalisation is related to just about everything, but it cannot be further developed without primary and secondary raw materials. Digitalisation requires a wide range of metals, many of which are critical.

The project, financed by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, examines the mineral resources required for digitalisation and the challenges and solutions related to them, particularly in Finland and the EU, in cooperation with VTT and SYKE. The project – led by GTK – started in December 2020 and ends in June 2021.

The project comprises several teams (leaders in bold):

Coordination (GTK);

Definition of digitalisation and characterising the field (VTT, SYKE, GTK);

Overview of the need for mineral raw materials related to digitalisation (GTK, VTT, SYKE);

Case studies: smartphone and smart TV (VTT, SYKE, GTK);

Challenges in the EU and Finland and proposals for measures (SYKE, GTK, VTT)

The aim of the project is to provide information on the raw material needs of digitalisation to support decision-making.

Responsible person: Toni Eerola, Senior Specialist, GTK; toni.eerola@gtk.fi

Return to projects