Key points
- World population is projected to reach nine billion by 2050, a nearly 30 percent increase over 30 years, driving soaring mineral demand.
- In the developing world, about 180,000 people move from rural areas to cities every day, adding to urbanization-driven demand for minerals used in buildings, vehicles, phones, batteries and flat screens.
- Solar panels, wind turbines and batteries require significantly more minerals per kilowatt produced than conventional energy sources, adding pressure from the shift to renewable, low-carbon energy.
- As mineral discovery rates slow, terrestrial miners must dig deeper for less and lower-grade ore, causing yields to plunge and waste to increase.
