Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results
Episodic supply shortages of metals and unsettling predictions of potential supply constraints in the future have led to a series of recent criticality evaluations. This study applies a consistent criticality methodology to the United States, Australia, and to the global level for both 2008 and 2012...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-09-01
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| Series: | Resources |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/5/4/29 |
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| author | Luca Ciacci Philip Nuss Barbara K. Reck T. T. Werner T. E. Graedel |
| author_facet | Luca Ciacci Philip Nuss Barbara K. Reck T. T. Werner T. E. Graedel |
| author_sort | Luca Ciacci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Episodic supply shortages of metals and unsettling predictions of potential supply constraints in the future have led to a series of recent criticality evaluations. This study applies a consistent criticality methodology to the United States, Australia, and to the global level for both 2008 and 2012. It is the first time that criticality assessments are presented for Australia, a country that contrasts with the United States in terms of its mineral deposits and metal use characteristics. We use the Yale criticality methodology, which measures Supply Risk (SR), Environmental Implications (EI), and Vulnerability to Supply Restriction (VSR) to derive criticality assessments for five major metals (Al, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn) and for indium (In). We find only modest changes in SR between 2008 and 2012 at both country and global levels; these changes are due to revisions in resource estimates. At the country level, Australia’s VSR for Ni, Cu, and Zn is 23%–33% lower than that for the United States, largely because of Australia’s abundant domestic resources. At the global level, SR is much higher for In, Ni, Cu, and Zn than for Al and Fe as a consequence of SR’s longer time horizon and anticipated supply/demand constraints. The results emphasize the dynamic nature of criticality and its variance between countries and among metals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:51:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-526eaa0458994d4faa089118ec8347e8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9276 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:51:53Z |
| publishDate | 2016-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Resources |
| spelling | doaj.art-526eaa0458994d4faa089118ec8347e82022-12-22T04:03:50ZengMDPI AGResources2079-92762016-09-01542910.3390/resources5040029resources5040029Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 ResultsLuca Ciacci0Philip Nuss1Barbara K. Reck2T. T. Werner3T. E. Graedel4Center for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USACenter for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USACenter for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USAEnvironmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne 3800, VIC, AustraliaCenter for Industrial Ecology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USAEpisodic supply shortages of metals and unsettling predictions of potential supply constraints in the future have led to a series of recent criticality evaluations. This study applies a consistent criticality methodology to the United States, Australia, and to the global level for both 2008 and 2012. It is the first time that criticality assessments are presented for Australia, a country that contrasts with the United States in terms of its mineral deposits and metal use characteristics. We use the Yale criticality methodology, which measures Supply Risk (SR), Environmental Implications (EI), and Vulnerability to Supply Restriction (VSR) to derive criticality assessments for five major metals (Al, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn) and for indium (In). We find only modest changes in SR between 2008 and 2012 at both country and global levels; these changes are due to revisions in resource estimates. At the country level, Australia’s VSR for Ni, Cu, and Zn is 23%–33% lower than that for the United States, largely because of Australia’s abundant domestic resources. At the global level, SR is much higher for In, Ni, Cu, and Zn than for Al and Fe as a consequence of SR’s longer time horizon and anticipated supply/demand constraints. The results emphasize the dynamic nature of criticality and its variance between countries and among metals.http://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/5/4/29aluminumironnickelcopperzincindiummetal demandsupply risk |
| spellingShingle | Luca Ciacci Philip Nuss Barbara K. Reck T. T. Werner T. E. Graedel Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results Resources aluminum iron nickel copper zinc indium metal demand supply risk |
| title | Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results |
| title_full | Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results |
| title_fullStr | Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results |
| title_short | Metal Criticality Determination for Australia, the US, and the Planet—Comparing 2008 and 2012 Results |
| title_sort | metal criticality determination for australia the us and the planet comparing 2008 and 2012 results |
| topic | aluminum iron nickel copper zinc indium metal demand supply risk |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/5/4/29 |
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