Raw material extraction: “Geological maps from the century before last”

VDE dialog: What potential deposits of technology raw materials are there in Germany?

Prof. Jochen Kolb: We know of cobalt deposits in the Black Forest and the Odenwald, but data collection came to an end when mining ceased in the 19th century. The data situation in eastern Germany is better, as intensive searches for raw materials were carried out in the former GDR. As a result, exploration there is also at an advanced stage, for example for the raw materials lithium, copper, tungsten and tin.

Overall, however, only a few mining projects are being initiated in Germany. So you’re saying there’s room for more?

Exactly. But the data situation is poor and outdated. Much more would be possible if we had a better insight into exactly which raw materials can be found in Germany, and where. Raw materials expertise in Germany is limited to very few institutions. Many state geological offices have set themselves other priorities in recent decades. When it comes to deposits of gypsum, salt or lime sand, our position is good – and in some areas we are self-sufficient. The situation is different for metallic raw materials.

Why have we not yet looked into this in more detail?

Basic research has been scaled back massively. In western Germany, no modern exploration has been carried out since the end of the Second World War. We have no idea what lies 200 meters below our feet. In eastern Germany, data was at least still being collected until the 1990s. But some of our geological maps are from the century before last. And science has developed quite a bit since then.

What would be technically possible?

In Australia, Scandinavia and South Africa, you can see the enormous progress that exploration technology has made in recent years. It’s easy to find and mine raw materials on the surface, but it becomes more difficult at depth. This requires geophysical data, which can be obtained through magnetic, radiometric, seismic or resistivity measurements. Improved computer technology allow us to analyze such data better, more sensitively and more effectively. Moreover, we can now deploy swarms of drones instead of expensive flights with airplanes or helicopters.

What can be discovered through such explorations?

Up to a depth of around 1500 meters, potential raw materials can be identified and mapped very well. Even deeper down, discoveries are still possible, but then it becomes a little more nebulous. Technologically, this isn’t a challenge; putting a mine into operation that extracts at depths of up to 1500 meters is no problem.

But resistance to such mining projects is likely to be strong, isn’t it?

When it comes to mining, many people still have the image from the 1970s in their minds: coal-smeared workers sitting underground, suffering from black lung disease. Things look very different today. In modern mines in Sweden, almost no one actually works in tunnels any more. The workers there sit at the joystick and control the mining robots remotely. A great deal has changed that takes the horror out of underground mining. Studies from Sweden show what effects this has; traditionally, the mining industry has been dominated by men, but nowadays women make up as much as 50 percent of the workforce in some modern factories.

What consequences does the poor data situation have for the development of raw materials?

Jochen Kolb: There is a lack of investment, infrastructure and data sets that companies could use as a basis for their search. In principle, this is a kind of subsidy from the state, a stimulus, if the companies have basic information available. The South African Geological Survey, for example, has set itself the goal of issuing new maps every 25 years in order to provide the mining industry with up-to-date data.

Doesn’t this kind of work generate enormous costs?

It’s not that expensive. We ran through this scenario with a consultancy firm for the Upper Rhine Plain in Baden-Württemberg. Creating a geophysical data set for this entire region would cost around two million euros. That’s not that much money.

Do you have the feeling that something is happening?

I can already sense a growing interest from the media, from industry and also from politicians. But from a scientific point of view, the topic of raw materials has been in decline since the 1980s. We have perhaps three universities that still deal with raw materials geology, and the situation is similar for the training of process technicians and mining or processing engineers. The number of students is falling significantly everywhere. The topic may be under discussion, but it’s not yet reflected in the figures.