Critical minerals for electric vehicles: a telecoupling review

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) adoption, which plays a crucial role to reduce transportation carbon emissions, is leading to a surge in demand for critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, lithium, and rare earths. Efforts to systematically address the emerging sustainability issues associated with critical minerals have been challenged by complex mineral supply chains, and the distal and geographically dispersed nature of social-ecological impacts from mineral extraction and processing and eventual use. In this review, we apply a bibliometric analysis of the literature in the 2010-2020 period to analyze the state of research on the issues of critical mineral extraction impacts and the global governance responses. We use the concept of telecoupling to structure our literature search and analysis across four themes: (1) critical minerals global trade and supply chain, (2) sustainability and resource policy and governance, (3) mining corporate social responsibility, and (4) information feedback and public discourse. We find a growing attention to the social-ecological implications of critical mineral extraction, but also fragmentation among thematic domains that could impede progress towards more coordinated system governance. Based on the analyses, the paper concludes with a definition of some research and engagement opportunities around the telecoupling themes.

Expanding the amount of preferential royalty facilities with hard-to-recover oil reserves

The article deals with the economic attractiveness of hard-to-recover oil reserves in the Ural-Volga region development. The fuel and energy complex is a budgetforming one for oil-producing regions and contributes to the development of all sectors of the economy, and is bound by social responsibility. The current situation and trends in the global economy demonstrate that oil production intensification is a paramount task to all related industries efficiency improving, taxes being the main share in the cost structure. Therefore, in order to stimulate the reserves from low-permeability reservoirs development, tax exemptions are provided in the form of a reduced tax on mineral extraction. The paper considers an example of development efficiency improving due to tax incentives. According to the assessment results, the option with tax incentives is more beneficial for both the state and the subsoil user. Keywords: oil fields development; hard-to-recover reserves; taxation; qualified for tax relief; production intensification.

Uma Geografia da pesquisa sobre a mineração no Brasil no campo da análise geográfica (1987-2020)

A atividade econômica baseada no extrativismo mineral tem se expandido, sobretudo no Sul global. No Brasil, a mineração é uma atividade econômica secular e se processa a partir de diferentes formatos, do garimpo à extração mineral de porte industrial, apresentando complexidades e singularidades. O fenô­meno tem sido objeto de estudos científicos em diversos campos do conhecimento. Esta pesquisa obje­tivou identificar as abordagens teórico-metodológicas sobre a atividade extrativo-mineral no âmbito da Geografia brasileira para conhecer o estado da arte no campo da análise geográfica. O corpus da pesquisa foi constituído de 356 trabalhos, entre teses e dissertações, produzidos nos últimos trinta e três anos e coletados a partir do Portal de Dados Abertos da Capes. Procedeu-se levantamento e sistematização dos dados por meio de categorização dos estudos, análise bibliométrica e sistemática de conteúdo. Os resul­tados demonstram que a produção científica sobre a mineração, na Geografia, apresentou crescimento após 2010 e, sobretudo depois dos últimos grandes desastres/crimes da mineração em Minas Gerais (Ma­riana, 2015 e Brumadinho, 2019). O mapeamento mostrou que há predominância de estudos executados por Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) da região Sudeste. A partir de 2015 verifica-se maior presença de pesquisas em outras regiões, com prevalência, em 2019, nas IES do Nordeste. Nota-se variação teórico-metodológica das análises, com alternância, ao longo do tempo, nas abordagens e categorias analíticas da ciência geográfica. Nos últimos dez anos, observa-se uma predominância da categoria Território nos estudos identificados. Compreender essas e outras questões de maneira mais aprofundada pode ser uma via para ampliar as fronteiras do conhecimento sobre análise da mineração à luz da Geografia. Palavras-chave: estado da arte; mineração; extrativismo mineral; garimpo; análise geográfica. Abstract Economic activity based on mineral extraction has expanded, especially in the global South. In Brazil, mining is a secular economic activity and takes place in different formats, from mining to industrial size mineral extraction, presenting complexities and singularities. The phenomenon has been the object of scientific studies in several fields of knowledge. This research aimed to identify the theoretical-methodological approaches on extractive-mineral activity in the scope of Brazilian geography to know the state of the art in the field of geographic analysis. The research corpus consisted of 356 works, including theses and dissertations, produced in the last thirty-three years and collected from Capes' Open Data Portal. Data were collected and systematized through the categorization of studies, bibliometric and systematic content analysis. The results show that scientific production on mining, in Geography, grew after 2010 and, above all, after the last major disasters/crimes of mining in Minas Gerais (Mariana, 2015 and Brumadinho, 2019). The mapping showed that there is a predominance of studies carried out by Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in the Southeast region. From 2015 onwards, there is a greater presence of research in other regions, with a prevalence, in 2019, in HEIs in the Northeast. Theoretical-methodological variation of the analyses is noted, with alternation, over time, in the analytical approaches and categories of geographic science. In the last ten years, there has been a predominance of the Territory category in the identified studies. Understanding these and other issues in greater depth can be a way to expand the frontiers of knowledge about mining analysis in the light of Geography. Keywords: State of the Art; Mining; Mineral Extractivism; Garimpo; Geographical Analysis. Una Geografía de la investigación sobre minería en Brasil en el ámbito del análisis geográfico (1987-2020) Resumen La actividad económica basada en la extracción de minerales se ha expandido, especialmente en el Sur global. En Brasil, la minería es una actividad económica secular y se desarrolla en diferentes formatos, desde la minería hasta la extracción de minerales de tamaño industrial, presentando complejidades y sin­gularidades. El fenómeno ha sido objeto de estudios científicos en varios campos del conocimiento. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar los enfoques teórico-metodológicos sobre la actividad ex­tractiva-mineral en el ámbito de la Geografía Brasileña para conocer el estado del arte en el campo del análisis geográfico. El corpus de investigación estuvo conformado por 356 trabajos, entre tesis y diserta­ciones, producidos en los últimos treinta y tres años y recolectados del Portal de Datos Abiertos de Capes. Los datos fueron recolectados y sistematizados mediante la categorización de estudios, análisis bibliomé­trico y de contenido sistemático. Los resultados muestran que la producción científica sobre minería, en Geografía, creció después de 2010 y, sobre todo, después de los últimos grandes desastres / delitos de minería en Minas Gerais (Mariana, 2015 y Brumadinho, 2019). El mapeo mostró que existe un predominio de estudios realizados por Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) en la región Sudeste. A partir de 2015, hay una mayor presencia de investigación en otras regiones, con una prevalencia, en 2019, en las IES del Nordeste. Se observa variación teórico-metodológica de los análisis, con alternancia, a lo largo del tiempo, en los enfoques analíticos y categorías de ciencia geográfica. En los últimos diez años ha habido un predominio de la categoría Territorio en los estudios identificados. Comprender estos y otros temas en mayor profundidad puede ser una forma de ampliar las fronteras del conocimiento sobre el análisis minero a la luz de la geografía. Palabras clave: estado del arte; minería; extractivismo mineral; garimpo; análisis geográfico.

Is There a Mineral-Induced ‘Economic Euphoria’?: Evidence from Latin America

A development imperative emphasising the economic benefits of mineral extraction has led researchers to speculate about whether minerals inflate citizens’ economic expectations and, due to an upward shift in aspirations, cause a degree of dissatisfaction. Using survey data from 18 Latin American countries, this study finds evidence of the ‘euphoric effect’ of minerals materialising among household expectations concerning future changes in the economic situation of their country. Similarly, it also finds a positive and significant relationship with expectations concerning future changes in respondents’ personal economic situation. However, it does not detect a significant relationship between minerals and citizens’ life satisfaction.

Artificial Intelligence applied on the basis of powering of vessel and its operational and management aspects

Oceans are consequential provenance of resources, transportation and bio-diversity on a grand scale. Humankind uses oceans for various motives such as haulage, victuals, trade, mineral extraction, power generation, warfare, sustention and leisure. Many of these activities fabricate marine pollution and straining in sustaining aquatic life, despite several protection barriers.