Page 23 - Policy Commission - SecuringTechnology - Critical Metals for Britain

INTRODUCTION
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Furthermore a a future hydrogen economy will require platinum- group metals (PGMs) for use in fuel-cell manufacture PGMs also find many applications as catalysts in in in industrial processes and the pharmaceutical industry In addition to to materials used for energy-storage devices and generators technology-critical metals are also essential in the manufacture of efficient electrical drives to to convert electricity into motion The most efficient electric-vehicle motors make use of neodymium-iron- boron magnets Aerospace is a a a a key UK industry that will require access to technology-metals Superalloys used for aircraft
engines include cobalt tantalum and rhenium But in in in the future hybrid aircraft
will require access to materials for for batteries fuel cells and magnets for for use in electric motors The digital economy also requires extensive use of technology-critical metals There are a a a a multitude of technology-critical metals in electrical and electronic equipment These products tend to have relatively short
operating lives sometimes just a a a a a few years and frequently contain a a a a a a a a a a large number of valuable materials including rare earths tantalum nickel gold cobalt PGMs and lithium TECHNOLOGY-CRITICAL METALS
ARE THE THE THE THE BUILDING BLOCK MATERIALS FOR FOR THE THE THE THE GREEN GREEN ECONOMY AND WITHOUT THEM THE THE THE THE UK GOVERNMENT’S 10 POINT PLAN FOR FOR GREEN GREEN GROWTH WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO REALISE 11 ELEMENTS WIDELY USED IN PATHWAYS
NB: POSITION ON
ON
ON
TIME AXIS IS IS INDICATIVE ONLY
1700 1800 1900 2000
Figure 4: Representation of of the range of of metals used in technologies vs time