Bergbau & Rohstoffe

Um deutsch-chinesische Geschäftspartnerschaften zu unterstützen, veranstaltete die AHK Greater China am 24. September 2024 eine Online-Fachkonferenz zu deutschen Lösungen für die Effizienzsteigerung und Nachhaltigkeit im Bergbausektor.

Die Veranstaltung ist integraler Bestandteil einer digitalen Delegationsreise und wurde von der AHK Greater China im Rahmen des vom Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) geförderten Kompetenzzentrums für Bergbau & Rohstoffe in China durchgeführt.

Rund 100 Teilnehmer nahmen an der Online-Fachkonferenz teil, darunter zahlreiche Vertreter von deutschen und chinesischen Unternehmen und Institutionen des Bergbau- und Rohstoffsektors sowie Entscheidungsträger aus Verwaltung und Politik.

Im Rahmen der Fachkonferenz wurde einerseits ein Überblick über das Antragsverfahren für die Sicherheitszulassung ausländischer Bergbauprodukte gegeben, andererseits wurden Lösungen von acht ausgewählten deutschen Unternehmen sowie mögliche Kooperationsfelder mit Firmen in China vorgestellt. Die teilnehmenden deutschen Unternehmen zeigten eine Reihe von innovativen deutschen Lösungen: Von vielseitigen Separationslösungen, Hochleistungsstahlprodukten für den Bergbau und umweltfreundlichen Wassertestlösungen bis hin zu umfassenden Lösungen für die netzunabhängige Stromerzeugung für Bergbauprojekte sowie technische Beratungsleistungen für die Sicherheit im Bergbau, den Umgang mit bzw. die Verarbeitung natürlich vorkommender radioaktiver Stoffe und die Unterstützung bei der Due Diligence innerhalb der Bergbau-Lieferkette.

Im Einzelnen wurden die folgenden Technologien vorgestellt:

• Separationstechnologien für die Bergbau- und Rohstoffindustrie (Andritz Separation)
• Technische Beratung für Bergbau und Gesundheit, Sicherheit und Umwelt vor Ort (CBM Business, Consulting und Management)
• Unterstützung von Bergbau- und Verarbeitungsprojekten, die von natürlich vorkommenden radioaktiven Materialien (NORM) betroffen sind (GeoEnergy Consult)
• Innovative offene Getriebeschmierstoffe für Mühlen (Klüber Lubrication)
• Grobbleche, Spulenbleche, Drahtseile und rostfreie Rohre, die sich durch Leistung, Sicherheit und Haltbarkeit auszeichnen (Perficon Steel)
• Lösung für netzunabhängige Szenarien: Entwurf, Beschaffung, Transport, Installation und Wartung von Micro Grids (RET Rhein Energie- und Technologie)
• Lösungen für Wasseruntersuchungsaufgaben im Bergbau (Tintometer)
• Due Diligence von Unternehmen der Bergbau-Lieferkette (TÜV Thüringen (Shanghai))

Die AHK Greater China veröffentlichte projektbegleitend eine englisch-chinesischsprachige Broschüre, in der die beteiligten deutschen Unternehmen sowie deren Lösungen und Interessen genauer beschrieben werden.

Für weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an:

Frau Lijuan YE

Head of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

ye.lijuan(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-20 8755 1299

Frau Conghua XU

Project Manager of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

xu.conghua(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-10 6539 6653

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

Using recycled raw materials for metal production can significantly reduce energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions, making it an effective way to minimize the industry’s environmental impact when compared to primary production. In addition, metal recycling can help reduce reliance on imports or external sources and ensure sufficient supply. Both China and Germany have taken various measures to promote the circular economy and to improve the recycling of resources. As part of the German Raw Materials Strategy, for instance, the German government has identified recycled or secondary raw materials as one of the three key pillars of securing supply. China, the world's largest producer of recycled non-ferrous metals, has set a target that recycled metals should make up more than 24% of the total supply by the end of 2025.

Against this background, AHK Greater China hosted an online information event on the status quo and developments of non-ferrous metals recycling in China and Germany on August 20, 2024. The event was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). About 100 participants from various stakeholders followed the event online.

As the first speaker, Mr. Liu Wei, Deputy President of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch (CMRA), presented the status quo and trends of the secondary metal industry in China. At the beginning, Liu emphasized that the secondary metals industry in China is constantly growing and takes an increasingly important position. Liu underpinned this with current statistics: The production volume of secondary copper, aluminum, lead and zinc reached 17.88 million tons in 2023 with an 8% increase and this number has reached 9.6 million tons in the first half of 2024. Liu presented the continual growth of both imports and the domestic market: China’s imports of raw materials for secondary copper and aluminum have revealed a robust growth trend since 2020, reaching 1.15 million tons and 950,000 tons respectively in the first half of 2024. In 2023, the imports from Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea jointly accounted for 40% (copper) and 45% (aluminum), while domestic secondary aluminum production has seen rapid expansion over recent years and domestic secondary copper production increased slightly. Liu highlighted two supporting policies of the Chinese government: The “Action Plan for Large-Scale Equipment Replacement” sets the target that by 2027, the recycling rate for scrapped vehicles shall roughly double compared to 2023, and the end-of-life recycling of household appliances shall increase by at least 30%, with agglomeration and construction of industry clusters being mentioned as key measures. Additionally, the recently released “Opinions on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development” stipulate the enhancement of the quality of recycled materials and products as well as the expansion of the scale of substitution of primary resources.

Regarding the trends, Liu emphasized the promising future of the secondary metal industry. According to the forecast of CMRA, the secondary non-ferrous metal production will reach 20 million tons by 2025, including 4 million tons of recycled copper, 11.5 million tons of recycled aluminum, 2.9 million tons of recycled lead, and 1.5 million tons of recycled zinc. Moreover, a considerable number of new construction projects are in the planning phase, with many of them situated in the central and western regions of the country. According to the “Industrial Standard Conditions for the Processing and Utilization of Copper and Aluminum Scrap”, published by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in December 2023, China aims to establish ten large and fifty leading recycling enterprises, as well as twenty industrial areas for the recycling of non-ferrous metal waste by 2027. On the demand side, the consumption of recycled non-ferrous metals is expected to continue expanding, with new energy vehicles, photovoltaic and wind power, and power batteries serving as the main driving industries.

Dr. Zhang Bin, Deputy General Manager of the Marketing Management Center at Zhejiang Hailiang Co., Ltd., followed Mr. Liu’s presentation by providing insights on downstream consumption of recycled copper in China. Dr. Zhang started by introducing the copper industrial chain from the upstream mining to downstream primary and terminal consumption, including the market scale of recycled copper, which - in terms of recycled copper production volume - reached 3.95 million tons in 2023. The production of recycled copper rods in China reached 252,600 tons in May 2024, marking a year-on-year increase of 68,700 tons or 37.3%. He also highlighted the improvements in copper recovery rates and utilization efficiency driven by technological progress in the industry.

Dr. Zhang went on to introduce the three major industry clusters for recycled copper in China, i.e. the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Bohai Economic Rim, while also explaining that China’s primary copper resources are primarily distributed in Tibet, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Anhui and Inner Mongolia. According to Dr. Zhang, the expected increase in demand for copper in China will mainly be driven by infrastructure construction, the automobile industry, home appliances and electronics, and high-tech industries. He emphasized that China’s own copper reserves have limitations in terms size and grade, which fall significantly short of matching its refined copper production and consumption scale. Against this backdrop, the Chinese government has issued several supportive policies and targets an output of recycled non-ferrous metals of 20 million tons by 2025, with recycled copper accounting for 4 million tons. However, challenges remain, including the need for continuous improvement of the recycling system and upgrades to recycling technology.

As the third and final speaker, Dr. Michael Liesegang, Scientific Manager at the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), gave an overview and presented results of the Metal Recycling Atlas of the German Mineral Resources Agency after briefly introducing DERA and its services. He presented data showing German raw material imports reached a volume of 342.5 megatons in 2022, representing a decrease of 14.1% from the previous year, with imported non-ferrous metals accounting for 3.9%, equivalent to 13.36 megatons. Dr. Liesegang highlighted that Germany is entirely dependent on imports for metal ores as well as concentrates and stressed the critical importance of a reliable raw material supply for the competitiveness of Germany’s industry. To address this issue, Germany updated its Raw Materials Strategy in 2020, which lists strengthening the circular economy and recycling through R&D projects, installation of a round table with the industry to increase raw material utilization from recycling, and improving resource and raw materials efficiency through technology transfer support programs as key measures. Dr. Liesegang explained the necessity of promoting non-ferrous metals recycling, emphasizing the need for improvement in the recycling of rare earth elements, gallium, germanium, graphite, and others, whose recycling input rates are below 1%. He also showed demand projections of selected non-ferrous metals for key technologies such as e-mobility, networks and grids, wind and solar power, and data centers, arguing that the rapidly increasing demand for elements like gallium, germanium, and lithium makes the expansion of end-of-life recycling capabilities even more necessary.

Dr. Liesegang then introduced the Metal Recycling Atlas of DERA, a study on the status quo of the German metal recycling industry consisting of a map display with location data from the German metal recycling industry and material flow-related fact sheets for 14 basic and technology metals. Presenting the results from the study, Dr. Liesegang highlighted the wide range of recycled raw materials utilization in production, especially industrial metals, reaching as high as 85%, 58% and 40% for lead, aluminum and copper respectively. In terms of post-consumer scrap recycling, Germany already has achieved high collection and recycling efficiency for industrial metals in end-of-life products, such as copper (70% end-of-life recycling rate), aluminum (69%), zinc (above 60%), and manganese (40%).

Dr. Liesegang also discussed the impact of metal recycling in Germany, which amounted to a value of approximately 34 billion EUR for the 11 most relevant metals in terms of value in 2022, with copper, iron/steel, and aluminum recycling having the biggest financial impact, valued at about 10.1, 8.35, and 7.6 billion EUR, respectively. With local metal production of 18.7 billion EUR and metal imports of 104 billion EUR, Dr. Liesegang concluded that recycling can contribute greatly to reducing import dependencies in Germany.

During the Q&A session that followed, online participants had an opportunity to interact with the three speakers on various topics. Regarding the question on the definition of “recycled metals”, Mr. Liu clarified that the term “recycled metals” in China refers to a combination of post-consumption or end-of-life recycling and recycled industrial scrap. In a response to a question about the origin countries of German non-ferrous recycled metal imports, Dr. Liesegang stated that those imports mainly come from EU countries, with a smaller percentage originating from the U.S. Some participants expressed interest in the environmental sustainability of recycled metal production. Liu explained that although real-time monitoring of emissions remains a challenge, pilot projects have been launched to reduce emissions during the recycling process. Dr. Zhang added that Chinese companies in the metal recycling industry are intrinsically motivated to produce and use recycled metals. The main drivers for this motivation include requirements of the export destinations, emissions reduction, and reduction of raw material procurement costs. When asked about their opinions on the prospects of recycled metals trade between China and Germany, all experts offered valuable insights. Dr. Liesegang noted that Germany already has high demand and import volume in this regard. He also noted that bilateral trade prospects between the two countries depend on price and that Germany must improve its recycling capacity to meet its own demand until 2040. Mr. Liu highlighted Germany’s strong technological position in the recycling field, which presents excellent opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. He also sees potential for collaboration in the recycling of new energy vehicle components. Finally, Dr. Zhang, speaking from the perspective of a consumer of recycled copper from Germany, explained that the price of recycled copper from Germany is higher than other alternative sources, such as certain Southeast Asian countries.

Overall, the event was well-received and has expanded the participants’ knowledge of the non-ferrous metals recycling industry in China and Germany, which will enable them to make more informed business decisions and seek out new potential areas of cooperation.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

Rare earth elements play a crucial role in a wide range of advanced and green technologies, including smartphones, batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and more. Consequently, many countries consider rare earth resources as strategic critical minerals. As the demand for rare earth elements continues to rise due to the ongoing energy and environmental transition, it is imperative to remain up-to-date on market developments and industry trends.

Against this background, AHK Greater China hosted an online information event on new developments, status quo and trends of the rare earth industry on June 25, 2024. The event was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). About 70 participants from various stakeholders followed the event online.

After a brief introduction from Xu Conghua, Senior Manager at the Competence Centre for Mining & Resources, the first guest speaker Mr. Thomas Kruemmer, Singapore-Director at Ginger International Trade & Investment Pte Ltd (GITI), addressed some common misconceptions about rare earths.

Starting off, he contended that rare earths are not as rare as their name might imply, with an estimated more than 150 million tons of known rare earth resources, which could satisfy the current consumption demand over the next 300 years. He further explained that rare earths are multi-metal composites that require different ore processing methods and have unique mineral compositions as well as deposits. Separating the rare earth elements from each other and processing them into metals therefore pose the two most significant challenges in the industry. Regarding the price manipulation allegations towards China, Kruemmer emphasized the inherent imbalance of the rare earth economy. He explained that the production of rare earth elements currently in high demand creates an excess of other less popular rare earth elements, meaning that there will never be an equilibrium of all rare earths at the same time. He also stressed that the global market value of rare earths (USD 8.5 billion in 2023) will remain low by comparison to other valuable metals such as copper (USD 300 billion in 2023).

Finally, Kruemmer analyzed the potential for the European Union to be independent from rare earth imports, as outlined in the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act. He noted that while rare earth metal imports from China (USD 4.9 million in 2023) are low for example in comparison to imports of rare earth metal compounds from China (USD 61 million in 2023), the important dependence of the EU lies in downstream products made from rare earths, such as permanent magnets, which account for 40% of China's exports and are primarily exported to the European Union. Kruemmer emphasized that China dominates the global rare earth magnet market (92%) with a complete supply chain, while the EU only has separation facilities and one rare earth magnet factory under construction. He also expressed his doubts that the EU will have notable success in implementing economically significant rare earth mining operations and highlighted one of the challenges associated with establishing rare earth processing operations, namely the disposal of radioactive elements contained in most rare earth deposits.

The second expert, Mr. Jan Giese, Senior Manager Minor Metals & Rare Earth at TRADIUM GmbH, provided a detailed analysis of the viability of EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) for rare earths. He explained that the EU recognizes the stable supply of raw materials as a key success factor for various markets, particularly light and heavy rare earth elements used in renewables and e-mobility sectors. However, the EU has fallen behind in necessary investments into raw materials production, creating high dependencies on China, the major player in almost every step of the rare earth value chain, especially in downstream activities such as rare earth magnet production.

Giese then introduced the EU’s mandate for precise targets under the CRMA to increase reliable and sustainable access to critical raw materials, for example: By 2030, 10 % and 40 % of the EU’s annual consumption of designated strategic raw materials must be mined and processed domestically, while 25 % of annual processing waste and end-of-life scrap must be recycled domestically. In addition, the share of strategic raw materials sourced from a single nation outside the EU shall not exceed 65 %. However, there are practical issues that limit the viability of the targets for rare earths in particular, such as the unlikelihood of planned extraction projects starting operation by 2030. Overall competitiveness also remains a concern for all the targets.

During the Q&A session, participants engaged with the two experts on various topics such as the long implementation process of EU rare earth mining projects and the technical difficulties in recycling rare earth metals from electrical waste. When asked if the EU can reach its set target and become less dependent on Chinese rare earth imports, Mr. Kruemmer expressed skepticism, stating that a user base for rare earth oxides, fluorides, and chlorides needs to be established first, and that sourcing separated rare earths from Malaysia and the United States could be viable but more expensive options. In contrast, Mr. Giese emphasized the need for competitive pricing and encouraged stakeholders to consider other aspects besides monetary competitiveness, such as ESP criteria and supply diversification. He encourages people to seek viable alternatives for some sources rather than focusing solely on price competitiveness. 

Overall, the conference has significantly enhanced German companies' and related organizations' comprehension of the rare earth industry, especially in China. This newfound knowledge will enable them to make more informed business decisions, particularly in light of European policies pertaining to rare earths.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

Um deutsch-chinesische Geschäftspartnerschaften zu unterstützen, veranstaltete die AHK Greater China am 28. November 2023 eine Online-Fachkonferenz zum Thema „Effizienzsteigerung und Nachhaltigkeit im Bergbau- und Rohstoffsektor“.

Die Veranstaltung ist integraler Bestandteil einer digitalen Delegationsreise und wurde von der AHK Greater China im Rahmen des vom Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) geförderten Kompetenzzentrums für Bergbau & Rohstoffe in China durchgeführt.

Mehr als 90 Teilnehmer nahmen an der Online-Fachkonferenz teil, darunter zahlreiche Vertreter von deutschen und chinesischen Unternehmen und Institutionen des Bergbau- und Rohstoffsektors sowie Entscheidungsträger aus Verwaltung und Politik.

Im Rahmen der Fachkonferenz wurde einerseits ein Überblick über aktuelle Entwicklungen und Trends im Bergbausektor in China und Deutschland gegeben. Die Konferenz beinhaltete andererseits eine Vorstellung der Lösungen ausgewählter deutscher Unternehmen sowie mögliche Kooperationsfelder mit Firmen in China. Die beteiligten deutschen Unternehmen veranschaulichten diesbezüglich eine Bandbreite an innovativen deutschen Lösungen: Von innovativen Lösungen für den Untertage- und Abraumtransport über hochmoderne Ausrüstungen für den effizienten und sicheren Abbau, die Gewinnung und die Aufbereitung bis hin zu modernsten KI-gesteuerten Systemen und Digitalisierungslösungen für den intelligenten Bergbau.

Im Einzelnen wurden die folgenden Technologien vorgestellt:

• Sichere und effiziente Mechanisierungstechnologie für den Untertagebau (Herrenknecht Tunnelling Equipment )
• Ultrafeines Mahlen für den Bergbau (NETZSCH Machinery and Instruments)
• Innovative AI-gesteuerte Entscheidungshilfe für Green Mining (PSI FLS Fuzzy Logik & Neuro Systeme)
• Sichere und effiziente Lösungen für den Transport von Abraum und Verfüllung (Putzmeister Concrete Pumps)
• Zentrifugal-Lösungen für die Bergbauindustrie (Siebtechnik Tema Process Equipment)
• Digitalisierungslösungen für eine nachhaltige Bergbauindustrie (Siemens AG)
• Zuverlässige Transportlösungen für Bergbau und Tunnelbau (SMT Scharf)

Die AHK Greater China veröffentlichte projektbegleitend eine englisch-chinesischsprachige Broschüre, in der die beteiligten deutschen Unternehmen sowie deren Lösungen und Interessen genauer beschrieben werden.

Für weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an:

Frau Lijuan YE

Head of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

ye.lijuan(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-20 8755 1299

Frau Conghua XU

Project Manager of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

xu.conghua(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-10 6539 6653

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

Um den bilateralen Austausch und deutsch-chinesische Geschäftspartnerschaften zu unterstützen, veranstaltete die German Industry & Commerce Greater China (AHK Greater China) am 25. Oktober 2023 eine hybride Fachkonferenz zu Batterierohstoffen in Peking und online. Mehr als 220 Vertreter von deutschen und chinesischen Ministerien, öffentlichen Institutionen, Industrieverbänden, Unternehmen und weitere Akteure nahmen aktiv an der Veranstaltung teil.

Die Veranstaltung wurde von der German Industry & Commerce Greater China (AHK Greater China) im Rahmen des vom Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) geförderten Kompetenzzentrums für Bergbau & Rohstoffe in China durchgeführt. Das Kompetenzzentrum wurde 2021 gegründet und dient deutschen Unternehmen und Institutionen als erste und zentrale Anlaufstelle für ein Engagement in der chinesischen Bergbau- und Rohstoffwirtschaft.

Im Rahmen der Grußwörter, Vorträge und Paneldiskussion gewährten hochrangige deutsche und chinesische Vertreter und Entscheidungsträger aus der Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Peking, der Deutschen Rohstoffagentur (DERA) in der BGR, der China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch (CMRA), dem VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik, der Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd., der Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL), Botree Recycling Technologies sowie der URT Umwelt- und Recyclingtechnik GmbH Einblicke in die neuesten Entwicklungen und Trends bei Versorgung, Bedarf, Anwendung und Recycling von Batteriematerialien und erörterten diesbezügliche Potenziale für eine deutsch-chinesische Zusammenarbeit.

Die Veranstaltung startete mit Grußworten von Jonathan Schoo, Vice President der AHK Greater China, und Andrea Jünemann, Fachkoordinatorin Wirtschaft bei der Botschaft der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Peking.

Dr. Niklas Oehl-Schalla, Berater bei VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik, gab in seinem Vortrag einen Überblick über die Entwicklung der Batterieindustrie in Deutschland und Europa.

Im Anschluss stellte Ma Xiaoli, Stellvertretender Generalsekretär der China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance, die wichtigsten Entwicklungen der Batterieindustrie in China vor.

Die folgenden Präsentationen waren in drei thematische Abschnitte gegliedert, von denen sich der erste mit der Versorgungslage bei Batterierohstoffen befasste. Zunächst gab Michael Schmidt, Senior Geologist bei der DERA, einen Ausblick auf die Entwicklung von Angebot und Nachfrage von Lithium in Europa. Tang Tang, Direktor für Überseevertrieb & Marketing bei Zhejiang Huayou New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., referierte anschließend über die Bemühungen seines Unternehmens beim Aufbau einer sicheren und nachhaltigen Lieferkette für Lithiumbatterien im Kontext der zunehmenden Lokalisierung globaler Industrieketten.

Nach einer kurzen Pause folgte der zweite Abschnitt zum Thema Rohstoffbedarf, -einsatz und -trends bei Batterien und Energiespeichern mit Vorträgen von Zhang Dancen, Direktorin für HV-Batteriezellen und -module, Entwicklung und Qualität, NEV-Komponenten, Logistik bei Volkswagen (China) Investment Co. und Duan Junpeng, stellvertretender Direktor für öffentliche Angelegenheiten im Ausland bei CATL.

Anschließend eröffnete Dr. Carolin Kresse, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Arbeitsbereich Recyclingrohstoffe bei der DERA, den dritte Abschnitt der Konferenz mit einem einführenden Vortrag zu den Recyclingpotenzialen von Lithium-Ionen-Batterien. Im Anschluss an die Präsentation fand eine Podiumsdiskussion zum Thema Batterierecycling und -rohstoffe im Kreislauf statt, an der vier Experten teilnahmen: Zhang Hua, stellvertretende Direktorin des Industrial Research Center bei der CMRA; Dr. Thomas Schmaltz vom Competence Center Neue Technologien am Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung ISI; Dr. Shu Manxing, Repräsentant der VR China bei URT Umwelt- und Recyclingtechnik; und Dr. Wang Xue, Mitbegründerin und COO von Botree Recycling Technologies. Moderiert wurde das Panel von Dr. Yun Schüler-Zhou, Senior Economist bei der DERA.

Das anschließende gemeinsame Abendessen bot Gelegenheit zum Networking unter den Teilnehmern.

Für weitere Informationen stehen wir Ihnen gern zur Verfügung:

Fr. Lijuan YE

Head of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

ye.lijuan(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-20 8755 1299

Fr. Conghua XU

Project Manager of Competence Centre for Mining & Resources

German Industry & Commerce Greater China

xu.conghua(at)china.ahk.de

Tel: +86-10 6539 6653

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

According to industry reports and statistics, approximately 4 billion tons of waste rock from non-coal mining and 1 billion tons of tailings are generated annually in China, and the accumulated mine waste has reached more than 70 billion tons. While the utilization rate of tailings in China has increased to 34 percent in 2020, compared to 19 percent in 2013, it is still much lower than in developed countries. To protect the environment and enhance mine waste management, China has released numerous policies and measures. For instance, in 2021, 10 ministries and authorities jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on the Comprehensive Utilization of Bulk Solid Wastes during the 14th Five-Year Plan” with the aim of significantly improving the comprehensive utilization capacity of industrial bulk solid wastes, including tailings, by 2025. This document also highlights efficient extraction of valuable components from metal tailings and reuse of mining waste. In addition, the “Measures for the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution from Tailings”, came into force in July 2022, specifying environmental regulations for the entire process of tailing production, storage, transportation, and utilization. Against this background, it is interesting to learn more about the developments in mine waste management and treatment in China, and to discuss opportunities for Sino-German cooperation.

To further support bilateral exchange and partnerships, AHK Greater China hosted an information event on 25 August 2023, on the developments and trends in mine waste management and tailings treatment in China. The hybrid event, which was held offline in Beijing and online via Zoom, was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China, that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). More than 50 participants attended the event, including representatives from governmental organizations, enterprises, and further stakeholders related to mining and mine waste management.

As the first speaker, Prof. Li Jiajie from the University of Science and Technology Beijing gave an overview on the comprehensive utilization of tailings in China and the development of solid-waste-based cementitious materials. Li introduced the two main methods for dealing with tailings: backfill and utilization as a raw material for construction materials. She briefly informed about the current situation and technological bottlenecks of traditional backfilling methods, highlighting that the utilization rate of tailings in China is around 30 percent and about half of it is used for backfilling. Li stated that while the number of mining areas is increasing, the high cost and high emissions of producing and using cement as the traditional binder for backfilling have created demand for low-cost, low-energy, and low-carbon filling materials. Based on this development, Li presented the research results and demonstration cases for four new binder technologies, namely steel slag, coal fly ash, refined slag, and fly ash from waste incineration. Li highlighted that all four cementitious backfill materials have similar mechanical properties and binding function to cement and reach the necessary safety levels for heavy metal leaching, while the total production cost reduction ranges from 63 percent to 96 percent compared to conventional cementitious filling materials.

Li also briefly introduced how tailings could be used as a raw material for construction of roadbeds, roads, buildings, and foamed ceramics as well as microcrystalline materials. Li also provided an example of how the knowledge on how to turn tailings into construction materials and on how to use tailings for backfill has been combined to turn the Angang Mining company into a waste-free mine.

The second speaker, Prof. Guo Lijie from the Department of Mining Engineering at Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (BGRIMM Technology Group) presented the research progress, trends, and innovations of backfill technology application at underground metallic mines. Guo firstly introduced the three common types of mine fill, namely waste rock backfill, hydraulic backfill, and paste backfill. To provide a practical frame of reference to the audience, Guo shared the selection criteria and selection matrix for choosing the backfill type, containing indicators such as the mining method, the available materials, capital and operating costs, and other technical aspects. Paste backfill, for example, has the highest operating and capital costs in comparison, but also can be applied for the highest stope volumes (up to 50,000 tonnes).

Guo then presented major innovations in backfill mining technologies, such as combined backfill with rock and paste, co-disposal of tailings and waste rock, wick drain hydraulic backfill, steel barricades, innovations in backfill slurry preparation and transportation, such as a modular paste backfill system, a monitoring pill for measuring pressure of backfill slurry pipelines developed by BGRIMM, and innovations in backfill material, such as self-foaming backfill material. Guo also presented several domestic and international case studies for backfill applications. Guo concluded that there currently is the need to develop a high-capacity, high-concentration paste filling system and also emphasized that high-efficiency and low-cost innovative solutions are the driving force to upgrade mine filling operations.

At the end of the presentations, all participants were invited to a Q&A discussion with the two experts. The experts highlighted the difficulties of treating tailings from rare earth mining, which have lower utilization rate compared to mining operations and generally are less suitable to be used as raw material for construction materials. Regarding the legal aspects of backfilling, the professors noted that while old mines do not need to use backfill for tailings treatment, so called “green mines” are required to do so. They also highlighted the importance of tailings treatment as a tool for the mining industry to help other industries reduce carbon emissions by using tailings from mining, for instance for building materials. Both experts agreed that there is potential for international cooperation, especially in the areas of tailing processing equipment in general and rare earth tailing treatment equipment in particular.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

China, as the world's largest producer and consumer of mineral resources, is considered a critical player in the global market. Its policies or regulatory changes related to mining and trading of raw materials affect not only companies operating within China, but also international stakeholders across various industries. The country has implemented a range of laws and policies to regulate the domestic market for mineral resources (including mining rights, licensing requirements, pricing mechanisms, taxes, environmental regulations) and also foreign investments. For instance, the development and application of new technologies for enhancing the ecological restoration, as well as mining and processing of certain mineral resources that are in short supply in China are encouraged, while foreign investments in prospecting or extracting particular raw materials such as tungsten or rare earths are prohibited. Additionally, the Chinese government closely monitors mineral exports and restricts exports of certain mineral raw materials deemed critical for national security and interests or strategic industries. For example, China recently imposed export controls for gallium and germanium-related items. Against this background, it is interesting to learn more about the current policy framework and regulations governing mining and trading of mineral resources in China, and to discuss related developments and implications.

To further support bilateral exchange and partnerships, AHK Greater China hosted an information event on 4 August 2023, on the policy framework and regulations for mining and trading of mineral resources in China. The hybrid event, which was held offline in Beijing and online via Zoom, was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China, that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). More than 50 participants attended the information event, including representatives from governmental organizations, enterprises, and further stakeholders related to mining and mineral resources.

In the first presentation, Wu Guohua and Li Yingnan from the law firm Jincheng Tongda & Neal presented the framework and regulations for the mining industry in China. Li briefly introduced the four levels of the Chinese legal system with relevance for mining and mineral resources, namely the Constitution of the PRC, national laws, administrative regulations of the State Council, and local regulations and departmental rules. After going over the regulatory authorities in charge for the mining and mineral raw materials sector, Li gave an overview on the topic of mining rights in China. In general, these are classified into prospecting rights, that have a regular term of five years and can be extended which reduces the prospecting area, and extraction rights, whose term varies based on the scale of the mines (e.g., up to 30 years for large scale mines). Both types of rights can be assigned to an entity by contract or through public bidding or auction process and are independent from land use rights, meaning that a mining right holder does not automatically have the right to use the surface land and vice versa.

Li also presented incentive policies and restrictions for foreign investment. According to the 2021 version of the Special Administrative Measures for Foreign Investment Access, foreign investors  are prohibited from investing in prospecting or extracting tungsten, rare earths and radioactive minerals. In Free Trade Zones, foreign companies are also banned from acquiring geological information, ore samples or processing technology for rare earths.

The second expert, Prof. Wang Ying from the China University of Mining and Technology Beijing, shared insights on policies and regulations for import as well as export of mineral raw materials in China. Wang introduced the list of strategic key mineral resource products in China, which identifies 37 mineral resources or products under five categories and has an important influence on the formulation of China’s import and export policies for mineral products. Wang explained that while China is a major consumer for mineral resource products – with a total import volume of 1.356 billion tons and import value 1.49 trillion CNY for metal ore and other ore, accounting for more than 8% of the China’s total imports in terms of value – its mineral resources reserves are limited. Therefore, China is dependent on imports of metallic minerals such as iron, copper, aluminum (with import dependencies between 60%-80% in 2020), manganese and nickel (import dependency of 97% and 86%), and others.

In terms of import policies, Wang briefly described five documents by the General Administration of Customs related to “release first and inspect later” policies for imported manganese ore, chromium ore and others, quality inspection for imported iron ore, weight appraisal for bulk commodities, two sections of access for customs supervision, and contingent removal after sample inspection. Wang also covered the recently announced implementation of export controls for the critical metals gallium – for which China accounts for more than 90% of the world’s production – and germanium.

Wang also presented the major risks and challenges facing China’s key mineral supply chains, namely supply and demand risk and cost risk for minerals where China is highly import-dependent, strategic global supply chain risks, and technological risks associated with China’s reliance on foreign technologies for extracting, processing, and refining key minerals. To mitigate these risks, the Chinese government proposed a number of countermeasures, including carrying out international cooperation on key minerals, strengthening the mineral resources industrial chain and promoting the development of core technologies, determining key minerals strategies, and enhancing risk management.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

Ecological restoration of mines has already reached notable achievements in China in the last decades. From 2001 to 2018, more than 1 million hectares of mining areas were rehabilitated and alone in 2020, the rehabilitated area reached about 41,600 hectares. A series of measures have been issued by the central government in recent years to continue the enhancement of ecological restoration, not only in the framework of green mines, but also national ecosystem protection. In the Overall Plan for the Major Projects of Key National Ecosystem Protection and Rehabilitation (2021-2035), ecological restoration of mines belongs to the main measures of almost all key areas as well as basins in China, for instance for Yellow River Drainage and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Moreover, the Ministry of Natural Resources published the Technical Specifications for Ecological Rehabilitation of Mines in 2022, which standardizes not only the general technical process and methods, but also defines special rules for different kind of mines, including e.g., coal and rare earths. However, ecological restoration of mines is still facing great challenges in China, based on the large affected mining areas, immense financial costs and relatively low environment treatment capacities of many small and medium-sized mines.

To further support bilateral exchange and partnerships, AHK Greater China hosted an information event on 23 March 2023 about the status quo and developments of ecological restoration of mines in China. The event, which was held in Beijing, was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China, that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). More than 70 participants attended the information event on-site and online, including representatives from governmental organizations, enterprises, and further stakeholders related to mining and environmental protection.

As the first expert speaker, Wu Liangliang from the Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (BGRIMM) presented latest developments of ecological restoration of non-ferrous metals mines in China. After briefly introducing BGRIMM, Wu shared the example of Dexing Copper Mine, the biggest open pit mine in China with an operation area of 5.52 km². He explained the characteristics of the main types of metal mining wasteland – namely open pit mines, tailing ponds, waste dumps, and leaching dumps for rare earth mining – and highlighted their impact on the environment. Following the Action Plan for Ecological Restoration of Historic Abandoned Mines during the 14^th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), China has launched several mainly government-led mine reclamation operations, with 415 hectares of newly built green land and 287 hectares of newly reclaimed and forested land.

Wu then gave examples for the ecological restoration of tailing ponds, waste dumps and open pits, and explained the reclamation and construction processes as well as the progress made in China regarding research and pilot studies for ecological restoration of metal mines, for instance regarding optimal growth medium composition and plant selection. He also briefly introduced the application of newer technologies in the restoration process such as soil spray-seeding.

In the second presentation, Dr. Feng Yu from the Technology Innovation Center for Ecological Restoration in Mining Areas of China University of Geosciences Beijing with the Ministry of Natural Resources shared his insights on the theory and practice for ecological restoration in largescale opencast mining areas in China. Dr. Feng presented the example of Pingshuo open cast coal mines in Shanxi Province, where since 1987 a total of 1.6 billion tons of coal have been produced, and which at the same time represent some of the largest and most modernized open cast coal mines in China.

Dr. Feng illustrated the environmental effects of coal mining such as transformation of the landform, deterioration of soil quality, disappearance of native vegetation and fauna, and impact on local residents’ livelihoods. He then introduced the five phases in the process of reclamation including geomorphic reshaping based on a "strip-transport-dump-rebuild-restore" method, soil reconstruction, vegetation restoration, landscape rebuilding as well as biodiversity conservation, involving a phase of natural restoration after an initial 3-5 years of assisted restoration. The efforts made so far resulted in an increased land utilization rate from 70 to 90 percent of the original landform, a reduction of the amount of soil erosion by 1000t/km², an increased vegetation cover of about 60-100 percent (which is 50 percent higher than the original landscape), greatly improved water conservation capacity, and a thriving flora and fauna. Dr. Feng concluded his presentation with an introduction of his current research focus, which includes integrating the topics of carbon neutrality and ecosystem services into ecological restoration.

At the end of the presentations, all participants were invited to a Q&A discussion with the two experts. The speakers highlighted that financing of restoration projects is an issue, since the government already funds the restoration of abandoned mines, stating that mine operating companies are responsible for ecological restoration of their operating sites. Participants were particularly interested in the experts’ evaluation of cooperation potentials for Sino-German enterprises. Both experts agreed that potential areas for future cooperation mainly focus on high-tech and innovative solutions in the ecological restoration as well as the reclaimed land usage (i.e., agriculture).

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

In order to support bilateral exchanges and Sino-German business partnerships, German Industry & Commerce Greater China (AHK Greater China) hosted an online conference on "Circular Economy as Contribution to Mineral Raw Materials Supply" in Beijing on 30 November 2022.

The event was organized by AHK Greater China as part of its Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China, that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). Based in Beijing, the Competence Centre was founded in 2021 and serves as the first and central point of contact for German companies and institutions for an engagement in the Chinese mining and raw materials industry.

More than 150 representatives from German and Chinese ministries, public institutions, industry associations, companies and other stakeholders actively participated in the event.

During the presentations and panel discussion, high-ranking German and Chinese representatives and decision-makers from BMWK, German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), VDI Center for Resource Efficiency (VDI ZRE), China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association Recycling Metal Branch (CMRA), Circular Economy Initiative of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), WirtschaftsVereinigung Metalle (WVMetalle) and the Association of German Metal Traders (VDM) as well as the companies European Metal Recycling, Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology and Heraeus Metals provided insights into framework conditions and developments in the field of circular economy and discussed related potentials for raw materials supply and Sino-German cooperation.

Topics included existing dependencies on raw material imports, recovery and reuse of critical mineral raw materials as an essential element to increase supply security, as well as challenges and solutions in reducing primary raw material demand and increasing the use of secondary raw materials.

To further support bilateral business partnerships, AHK Greater China hosted a conference about efficiency enhancement and sustainability in the mining and raw materials sector in Beijing.

The event is an integral part of a digital business delegation trip and was organized by AHK Greater China within the framework of the Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China that is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

More than 130 participants attended the conference, including numerous representatives of German and Chinese companies, institutions of the mining and raw materials sector as well as decision-makers from administration and politics.

On the one hand, the conference provided an overview of current developments and trends in the mining sector in China and Germany. On the other hand, the conference included presentations of solutions and interests of selected German companies and institutions as well as possible fields of cooperation with companies in China. In this regard, the participating German companies illustrated a range of innovative German solutions: From efficient and safe tunnelling and mining machinery for underground mining to solutions for open pit mining and material handling, as well as components and technologies for mechanical power transmission in the mining industry.

In detail, the following technologies and interests were presented:

• Tunnelling and Mining Machinery (Herrenknecht Tunnelling Equipment)
• Innovative Solutions for Open Pit Mining and Material Handling Technology (TAKRAF Mining Technology)
• Specialized Components & Solutions for Mechanical Power Transmission Applications in the Mining Industry (VULKAN Technologies)
• Challenges of the German Raw Material Supply (WirtschaftsVereinigung Metalle)

AHK Greater China published an English-Chinese brochure accompanying the conference, describing the participating German companies and institutions, as well as their solutions and interests in more detail.

Following the energy shortages last winter, it could be clearly observed that the Chinese government has been reemphasizing the significance of coal for the country’s energy security since the beginning of 2022. According to a State Council meeting in April, China plans to increase its coal capacity by 300 million tons this year. Further measures issued in May to boost economic growth include releasing high-quality coal production capacity and require improvements of the review and approval mechanism for coal mines. In the first half of 2022, the government has approved numerous new coal mines in regions such as Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi. Meanwhile, China is stressing and promoting the cleaner and more efficient utilization of coal as a vital path to achieve its national climate targets. Moreover, the central bank of China has announced in May to increase the re-lending quota from 200 to 300 billion CNY, in order to support the more environmentally-friendly and efficient use of coal through technological upgrading. Underground coal mining in particular represents a challenging and interesting market for German suppliers of low-emission, energy-efficient and automated mining solutions.

Against this background, AHK Greater China hosted an information event on 26 July 2022 on the current developments and trends in the Chinese coal mining sector. The event was organized as part of the Competence Centre for Mining & Resources of AHK Greater China and supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). More than 80 participants from various stakeholders followed the event online.

Structural reform of the Chinese coal mining sector since 2016

After a brief introduction by Bernhard Felizeter, Head of the Competence Centre for Mining & Resources at AHK Greater China, Prof. Wang Ying from the School of Management of the China University of Mining and Technology Beijing gave an overview of the current political framework conditions and developments of coal mining in China. China's coal industry has been undergoing structural upheaval since 2016. As a result, coal production capacities have increasingly shifted to central and western China in recent years with the regions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang accounting for about 80 percent of China's total raw coal production in 2021. In addition, the degree of mechanization of coal mining among the major Chinese market players has been greatly improved and the application of green mining technologies has been promoted. This has increased the utilization rates of mine water and coal gangue as well as the land recovery rate and reduced the energy consumption of the large coal mining companies.

Development path to a greener, smarter and safer coal industry

Against the background of structural reform, the coal industry is facing enormous challenges. The demand for coal will decrease in the long term and coal production capacities are to be controlled accordingly. The production costs for renewable energies will continue to fall and the share of non-fossil energy sources in primary energy consumption is expected to reach at least 25 percent by 2030 according to China's climate targets. A flexible coal supply is required for this development, as coal is only to be used in the long term as a strategic reserve for China's energy security. In addition, there is a need for improvement and innovation in areas such as automation and the technical control level of the equipment. Therefore, green mining technologies, digital transformation of coal mining, safety, and operational efficiency are the main aspects of the development path of China’s coal sector.

Smart coal mining in the focus of the Chinese government

Dr. Wang Guoliang from the China Coal Technology & Engineering Group (CCTEG) then gave insights into measures taken by Chinese companies for cleaner and more efficient coal mining. According to Dr. Wang, there is potential above all in the technological upgrading of the coal sector and integrated development opportunities for coal and renewable energies. In addition to measures in the field of intelligent tunnelling and transport, central real-time monitoring as well as energy saving and improvement of gas extraction and utilization rates, the focus is on the development and application of technologies such as management and planning systems, 4D geographic information systems (4D GIS), precise underground positioning systems, robot-assisted process automation and intelligent safety control systems. Since 2020, numerous plans and guidelines to promote the development of smart coal mining have been published and total investment in the construction of smart coal mines has since exceeded CNY 100 billion. Basic research and development in the field of smart coal mining will play a central role in China. In addition, there are existing problems regarding the lack of software tools for digital engineering, the insufficient performance and reliability of underground robots and sensors, as well as challenges concerning energy efficiency and the use of gas, mine waste heat and pressure.

At the end of the presentations, all participants were invited to a Q&A discussion with the two experts. The perspectives for future cooperation between German and Chinese companies were of particular interest to the audience. The two experts highlighted potential areas for future cooperation including coal machinery equipment and technologies for underground mining, safety, coal conversion, sensor, as well as industrial automation with remote monitoring. Coal will continue to be a cornerstone of China's national energy security. However, given the transformation that has already begun and the associated challenges for the coal industry, some opportunities for Sino-German cooperation continue to open up.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

In terms of energy consumption, manufacturing represents the largest sector of the Chinese economy with a proportion of more than 50 percent of final energy use. The steel and non-ferrous metals industry are particularly energy-intensive. In recent years, especially since the national targets for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality were announced in 2020, China is actively taking measures to make production processes more energy-efficient and less carbon-intensive. A series of guidelines and targets focusing on energy-intensive key sectors including steel, ferroalloys and non-ferrous metals have been released, demonstrating the Chinese government’s determination towards a low-carbon industry transition. Moreover, optimization of energy structure through increased utilization of renewable energy is a growing trend among leading producers.

Against this background, AHK Greater China hosted an online information event on developments and measures for energy efficiency and energy structure optimization in the non-ferrous metals and steel industry. More than 110 participants from government agencies, companies and other stakeholders participated in the event on 7 June 2022.

Energy and carbon intensity of the non-ferrous metals industry

After a brief introduction by Bernhard Felizeter of AHK Greater China, a representative of the Chinese non-ferrrous metals industry presented the latest developments regarding energy efficiency in the non-ferrous metals industry. According to the expert, the output of ten major non-ferrous metals in China reached 64.54 million tons in 2021, following a year-on-year growth of 5.4 percent. In 2020, the total energy consumption in the non-ferrous metals industry was about 250 million tons of standard coal. The power consumption in the non-ferrous metals industry is 683.7 billion KWh, accounting for about 8 of the total electricity consumption in China. Within this, 70 percent is used by primary aluminium enterprises. The last decade has seen a gradual increase of carbon emissions from the non-ferrous metals industry in China, resulting in a doubling of carbon emissions from 2010 to 2020. In that year, China‘s non-ferrous metals industry emitted about 660 million tons of carbon dioxide. 89 percent of total carbon emissions of the non-ferrous metals industry currently arise from smelting processes, making technical advances in this area especially crucial.

Policies and measures for energy efficiency and energy structure optimization

Recently, the Chinese central government issued a series of key policies to drive down the energy and carbon intensity of the non-ferrous metals industry. These include the “Opinions on Strict Energy Efficiency Constraints and Promoting Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in Key Areas”, the “Energy Efficiency Benchmark and Baseline Levels in Key Areas of High-Energy-Consumption Industries” and the “Implementation Guidelines for Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in Key Areas of High-Energy-Consumption Industries”. The implementation guidelines raise specific requirements on the energy conservation and carbon reduction technical retrofit in 17 key industries, including non-ferrous metals. However, the current energy conservation and carbon reduction retrofit schemes face major challenges, especially a big difference in comprehensive unit energy consumption among different companies’ products, uneven levels of energy management, and a distinct gap in energy efficiency levels of general devices.

Decarbonization of China’s steel industry

In the following, Dr. Zhang Yongjie from the China Baowu Steel Group shared insights on the measures of the Chinese steel industry to reduce energy consumption. According to Dr. Zhang, China’s steel industry accounts for 14 to 18 percent of China’s total CO₂ emissions. In 2021, crude steel production in China amounted to 1.033 billion tons, accounting for 52.9 percent of the total world crude steel production.

Moreover, he emphasized the competition of business and technology between different regions of the world in the context of carbon market mechanisms design. As the EU has implemented the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), China may face the challenge of a “carbon border”, for its exports, producing a more urgent need to bring down carbon emissions in the steel industry.

At the end of the presentations, all participants were invited to ask question and discuss with the two experts in a concluding Q&A session. Dr. Zhang reflected on the specific advantages and challenges for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as Baowu Steel on the path to carbon neutrality. While he sees advantages for Chinese SOEs in the ability to attract well-trained staff, to him, the key to success lies in treating decarbonization as a key priority of company development. Regarding the recently postponed timeline of reaching carbon peak in the steel sector, he reaffirms that industry carbon emissions will likely only peak around 2030.

The second expert further elaborated on the development of energy efficiency and carbon emissions in the non-ferrous metals industry. In order to reach the international advanced level in terms of energy consumption, the industry further needs to develop critical common technologies and promote advanced technologies. In aluminium smelting, new steady flow and heat preservation electrolytic aluminium structural optimization and intelligent manufacturing of electrolytic tanks will be crucial to bring down energy consumption and carbon emissions. In copper smelting, the technological trend is directed towards short process smelting and floating copper smelting technologies.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

China is highly dependent on imports of various kinds of raw materials from foreign countries. Domestic recycling and reuse of resources therefore is an essential strategy for China to ensure sufficient supply. The Chinese government has been facilitating circular economy development since more than a decade and recycling of raw materials has been further enhanced and improved in recent years. Non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, lead and zinc play a key role in this development. For example, according to the new 14th Five-Year Plans for the Circular Economy and the Raw Materials Industry, by 2025 the proportion of copper and aluminum recycled from scrap metal is supposed to reach 35 percent and 20 percent, respectively, of total production. 20 million tons of non-ferrous metals are expected to be recycled annually, and the resources recycling industry is expected to reach a market value of 5 trillion yuan. At the same time, since 2017, the Chinese government restricted the import of raw materials for non-ferrous metals recycling as part of the waste import ban. However, in early 2020, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced that scrap metal would no longer be classified as waste under the import regulations. Despite further blows to the industry due to the coronavirus pandemic, raw material imports are now somewhat recovering. In addition, waste power batteries have become another recycling focus. By 2025, 1 million tons of batteries are expected to be recycled annually in China. However, the Chinese recycling industry is still facing challenges, such as the lack of high-end recycling, insufficiency of sorting precision for rare metals as well as high costs.

Against this background, AHK Greater China hosted an information event on recycling and comprehensive utilization of raw materials in China on 29 March 2022. More than 100 participants from government agencies, companies and other stakeholders participated in the event in Beijing as well as online.

Raw materials utilization increasingly dominated by domestic companies

After a brief introduction by Bernhard Felizeter of AHK Greater China, Liu Jiaojiao of the Metals Recycling Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CMRA) presented the latest developments in the recycling of non-ferrous metals in China. In 2021, a total of 15.72 million tons of non-ferrous metals were produced based on recycled raw materials. Imports of scrap metal accounted for only 1.69 million tons, including 1.03 million tons of raw materials for aluminum alloys alone. Compared to the previous year, imports increased by almost 80 percent. Since 2017, however, the focus has shifted significantly from processing imported raw materials to using domestic ones. According to Liu, the Chinese government aims to establish a long-term pattern of “domestic-dominated, import-supplemented” use in recycled non-ferrous metal raw materials.

The expansion of national capacity for recycling non-ferrous metals is progressing rapidly, with 30 recycling projects newly implemented or completed last year. This alone will allow 6.2 million tons of scrap metal to be processed. The major industry players in this regard were large corporations such as Chinalco, smelters such as Weiqiao and Shenhuo, and processing companies such as Mingtai and Chuangxin. Most of the projects are established in central China and in the western regions of the country.

Recycling in the context of national climate targets

For the Chinese government, scrap metal processing is also a building block on the path to the national 30.60 climate targets. Already today, the recycling of the non-ferrous metals copper, aluminum, lead and zinc saves more than 100 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually. In 2025, according to the political targets, the reductions will amount to approximately 150 million tons, and by 2030 to around 220 million tons. The legislative framework for this trend is provided by the 14th Five-Year Plan, the national action plan to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030, and the State Council's Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment and Improvement of a Green and Low-Carbon Circular Development Economic System.

Liu concluded by highlighting some of the challenges facing China's scrap metal processing industry, indicating that there are too few large enterprises specializing in recycling to achieve economies of scale. In addition, more technical solutions for collection, disassembly and sorting are needed for metal recovery, according to the expert. This could also create business opportunities for foreign companies and for Sino-European and Sino-German cooperation.

Prof. Sun Zhi from the Institute of Process Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) then reported on the state of battery recycling in China. Prof. Sun first gave an overview of the life cycle of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). According to him, the most expensive LIB components are the active cathode material, copper, and the electrolyte solution that enables positively charged ions to migrate between the cathode and anode poles.

New standards for lithium recycling

Spent LIBs are explosive and contain toxic substances. Their recycling continues posing difficulties.  To enhance industrial recycling capabilities, unified industrial environmental standards on LIB recycling were issued for the first time in China in 2021. The main goal is to recycle metal components, especially lithium, aluminum, nickel and copper. The recycling process proceeds in the phases of pretreatment, metallurgical processing and material preparation. Many different pretreatment and metallurgical processes are applied in the industry, such as hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy. Leading industrial players in this regard include the Belgian enterprise Umicore and the German company Accurec.

In the final Q&A session, Prof. Sun reported on the challenges of LIB recycling in China. Similar to the recycling of non-ferrous metals, the fragmentation of the LIB recycling industry is a challenge. Many companies have established their own decentralized collection systems that do not operate in a standardized manner and are difficult to control. In addition, there is a lack of economic incentives to recycle components with only low levels of lithium. However, in view of commodity prices soaring globally and China’s ambitious climate targets, battery recycling and scrap metal recovery in China are set to play an increasingly important role in the country's economic-ecological development.

© German Industry & Commerce Greater China

To further support bilateral business partnerships, AHK Greater China hosted a conference about efficiency enhancement and sustainability in the mining sector in Beijing.

The event is an integral part of a digital business delegation trip and was organized by AHK Greater China within the framework of the Competence Centre for Mining & Resources in China that is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).

More than 100 participants attended the conference, including numerous representatives of German and Chinese companies, institutions of the mining sector as well as decision-makers from administration and politics.

On the one hand, the conference provided an overview of current developments and trends in the mining sector in China and Germany. On the other hand, the conference included presentations of technologies and solutions of selected German companies as well as possible fields of cooperation with companies in China. In this regard, the participating five German companies illustrated a range of innovative German solutions: From efficient screening technology and underground cooling systems to solutions for rapid roadway development and roadway support, sustainable hydraulic fluids for mining machinery and engineering services to reduce the carbon footprint.

In detail, the following services and technologies were presented:

• Screening technology for coal and non-coal mining (Schenck Process).
• Highly efficient cooling solutions for underground mines and tunnels (SIEMAG TECBERG)
• Solutions for fast roadway development and roadway support in mining (GTA Maschinensysteme)
• Environmentally friendly hydraulic systems through substitution of mineral oil (Fluid Competence)
• Carbon footprint reduction with continuous mining equipment (RWE Technology International)

AHK Greater China published an English-Chinese brochure accompanying the conference, describing the participating German companies and their solutions in more detail.

Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the new “Competence Centre Mining & Resources in China“ of German Industry & Commerce Greater China (AHK Greater China), based in Beijing, was established at the beginning of 2021. It serves as the first and central point of contact for German companies and institutions to get involved in the Chinese mining and mineral resources industry.

The organized events and meetings of the Competence Centre during the last months culminated in an official Launch Event on 2 November 2021 in Beijing, which was simultaneously broadcasted virtually. The main objective of the hybrid event was to widen support and interest from stakeholders and decision makers through high visibility and presentation of aims and tasks of the Competence Centre, such as support for communication and cooperation between Chinese and German companies and stakeholders, provision of market information and services, as well as support for German solutions and technologies. More than 160 participants from German and Chinese ministries, public institutions, industry associations, enterprises, and wider stakeholders attended.

During the presentations and panel discussion, high-ranking German and Chinese representatives and decision-makers provided insights into framework conditions and latest developments in the mining and raw materials sector in China and Germany and discussed current trends, challenges, and potentials for Sino-German cooperation. Among others, topics included environmentally sustainable and responsible mining, efficiency enhancement and modernization of the mining sector, current challenges for raw materials supply, as well as resources for future technologies. The subsequent dinner provided opportunities for networking among participants.

The Launch Event successfully consolidated support and interest from stakeholders and public and private sector decision makers of the mining and resources sector and kicked off the further activities in the coming months and years, comprising a series of delegation trips, business matchmakings, Sino-German conferences, and information events. The next upcoming activity will be a digital business delegation trip in the first half of December 2021, involving a Sino-German conference for presenting solutions, individually organized business meetings, as well as Chinese project presentations and exchanges with relevant industry associations and enterprises.

Overall, mine safety in China has been further enhanced and improved in recent years. According to the National Mine Safety Administration, the mortality rate per million tons of coal dropped to 0.058 in 2020, decreasing by 64 percent compared with 2015. There were 434 mine accidents in 2020, down 19 percent year-on-year. In April 2020, the State Council published a “Three-Year Action Plan for National Safety Special Rectification”, which highlights new objectives for the mining sector: Coal and non-coal mines which do not meet the safe production requirements shall be closed, the number of coal mines shall be reduced to about 4,000 and more than 4,000 non-coal mines shall be shut down before the end of 2022. Numerous incidents in the first half-year of 2021 – i.e., the Hushan Gold Mine explosion in Shandong Province, the coal and gas outburst in Guizhou Province, and the mine flood at the Dahongcai Iron Mine in Shanxi Province – also caused great concern and led to new measures by local authorities: Shandong Province, for instance, carries out a safety inspection for all non-coal underground mines until the end of 2021. Shanxi Province ordered urgent suspension and inspection for all non-coal underground mines.

It was against this background that German Industry & Commerce China Beijing (AHK Beijing) invited more than 30 participants from government agencies, companies, and other stakeholders to an information event on developments and measures for mine safety in China on 26 August 2021. The event was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and held as part of the Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources of AHK Beijing, which was established in January 2021. Two selected experts were invited to provide insights on the current state of mine safety in China and to discuss opportunities for Sino-German cooperation.

After a short introduction by Bernhard Felizeter from AHK Beijing, Professor Sun Enji from the Institute of Mine Safety Technology of the China Academy of Safety Science and Technology gave a presentation on the status quo and prospects of advanced technologies for non-coal mines safety in China. A general overview of the main endowments and mining sites in China was followed by an elaboration on the development of accidents and fatalities in Chinese non-coal mines since the turn of the millennium. While the number of non-coal mines has decreased by over 50 percent during this period, the number of accidents, and thus the number of fatalities, has also dropped by 62 and 68 percent, respectively. Professor Sun continued by illustrating several examples of accidents typical for non-coal mines. The most frequent events among those were mine flooding and fire, mine collapse, and explosive release of gases or liquids. In almost all examples provided, illegal mining activities had played a role in causing the accidents. During the past decades, the Chinese government has implemented several measures to further reduce the number of accidents. According to Professor Sun, the number of fatalities in China's non-coal mines peaked at 140,000 in 2002. That same year, the “Law of the People's Republic of China on Work Safety” came into effect. Since then, fatalities in non-coal mines have declined steadily. In September 2021, the third revised version of the law on work safety came into force. Among other things, it includes a more detailed definition of on-site responsibilities, an expansion of preventive measures, and higher penalties for illegal activities. Professor Sun then went on to present various technologies for improving safety conditions in non-coal mines. A central instrument in this respect is a comprehensive monitoring system. Such systems can include sensors to monitor rock pressure, movement or vibration, underground water flows, or digital channels to supervise and communicate with mine workers. 5G technologies can also be applied to contribute to mine safety. Excavators, mining robots, or tunnel boring machines, for instance, can be operated from remote locations, allowing operating personnel to stay at safe distance and avoid exposure to any dangers. Finally, Professor Sun concluded by elaborating on a big data platform for the nationwide exchange and accumulation of data related to mine safety in China.

As the second speaker, Professor Huang Zhian from the School of Civil and Resource Engineering of the University of Science and Technology Beijing offered valuable insights on the status of coal mine safety in China with focus on the prevention and control of spontaneous coal combustion. After a general introduction – the number of fatalities in coal mines has also decreased in recent years – Professor Huang moved on to analyze some examples of coal mine accidents from recent years. Among the most common causes for such accidents were low safety awareness, poor safety management, lack of experience in handling emergencies, frequent violations of laws and regulations, lack of preventive measures, and low safety monitoring. Thus, despite the positive trend in fatalities, the safety situation in China's coal mines still offers room for further improvement. Against this background, Professor Huang emphasized the opportunities arising from this situation. New technologies, for instance, can be used to further automate processes, replace mining personnel, and improve the safety environment. Afterwards, Professor Huang turned his attention to the issue of spontaneous coal combustion. The spontaneous combustion of coal has long been a mystery to researchers. After a brief glance into the past – it was not until the 1940s that Soviet researchers found the reason to be the reaction between oxygen and coal – Professor Huang presented a series of prevention and containment measures. As for prevention, the reduction of air flows within mines has proven to greatly limit the speed at which fires spread within mines. If spontaneous combustion is already underway, various materials can be channeled into the mine to extinguish a fire. Such materials include, for example, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, special gels, extinguishing foam, or mud mixtures. Each of the materials introduced by Professor Huang has advantages and disadvantages in the containment of spontaneous coal combustion and may be applied according to the circumstances.

The concluding Q&A session offered an opportunity for participants – both on-site and online – to raise questions. When asked to what extent foreign companies may contribute to improving mine safety in China, Professor Sun referred to the large and growing market in this area and related opportunities for foreign providers of solutions. To offer an example, he pointed towards the equipment used by rescue teams in coal mines. Here, imported technologies from Europe or Australia are already in use. To present suitable solutions to relevant Chinese decision-makers of this sector, Professor Sun recommended to participate in regular industry-specific meetings and trade fairs in China.

© German Industry & Commerce China Beijing

With the essence of digitalization, intelligization, information and automation, smart mining in China has developed rapidly in recent years. The number of coal excavation mining faces equipped with smart mining technologies, for example, reached 494 at the end of 2020 – in comparison to only three in 2015 – and is still growing. The first 5G smart coal mine has been launched in Shanxi province in June 2020, and in December the National Energy Administration (NEA) published a list of 71 demonstration coal mines for intelligization. However, many challenges remain for the development of smart mining, i.e., shortage of investment, lack of skilled workers and limited incentives for smaller mining companies. With last year’s new Guiding Opinions on Accelerating Development of Coal Mines Intelligization and guides for intelligent mine construction, smelters and manufacturing plants in the non-ferrous metals industry, the government clarified future objectives and approaches for the mining industry and indicated the greater attention to more efficient, safer, and greener mines.

Against this background, it is interesting to learn more about the developments of smart mining in China, and to discuss opportunities for Sino-German cooperation. As part of the recently established Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources – supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) – German Industry & Commerce China Beijing (AHK Beijing) organized a hybrid Information Event on the topic of “Status Quo and Perspectives for Smart Mining in China” on 29 June 2021. At the event, two renowned experts from the Chinese mining sector informed more than 40 participants about the latest developments of coal mine intelligization and the current status of electrification of metal mining equipment in China.

After a brief introduction by host Bernhard Felizeter, Head of the Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources at AHK Beijing, the event started with a presentation on the status quo and expected developments for smart mining in the Chinese coal sector given by Fu Ensan from the China Coal Information Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Management. In addition to providing an overview on novel technologies that are driving the development of intelligent coal mines, Fu also explained key policies implemented by the responsible ministries to promote the transformation of this sector by 2035. Among these, the recently issued Guiding Opinions on Accelerating Development of Coal Mines Intelligization by the Chinese government provide a detailed roadmap on how to build a digital mining sector – integrating cloud computing, big data, 5G networks and artificial intelligence. Focusing on six critical challenges – construction standards, information infrastructure, data utilization, system reliability, collaboration and training of professional staff – Chinese companies have already started to build pilots for smart coal mines and are in the process of upgrading existing operations to include state-of-the-art digital technology. As Fu described, the framework for this transition is set by the concept of “four horizontal and four vertical” pillars, a structure aimed at creating an intelligent flow of information across all organizational and production levels, while ensuring safe and reliable mining operations and encouraging innovations in research and production.

Following as the second speaker, Prof. Feng Maolin from the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and President of the Rhino Intelligence Mining Equipment Academy, shared his expertise on developing high-end mining equipment based on digital and low-carbon technologies. After briefly highlighting the status quo in the Chinese smart mining market and describing the architecture of smart mines, Prof. Feng introduced a series of newly developed driverless trucks equipped with digital sensors and monitors specifically designed for both open-pit and underground mining applications. A fleet of these trucks can be autonomously managed by using a cloud server, which is operated and supervised by a ground control center. Autonomous fleet management thus simultaneously enables intelligent scheduling of routing plans and traffic managements based on high-precision maps, while at the same time collecting and analyzing data necessary for the fine-tuning of mining operations. Prof. Feng went on by examining pathways towards zero-emission copper mines in China, a country that produced 978Mt of the metal in 2019. In order to mitigate the resulting carbon footprint of 2.5Bt, next generation mining vehicles powered by electricity are continuously replacing the old heavy-duty vehicles running on diesel fuel. The key to accelerate this trend lies in the development of increasingly sophisticated batteries that will allow for optimal performance by extending their capacity and runtime, while minimizing the time interval required for recharging.

At the end of the presentations, all participants were invited to ask question and discuss with the two experts in a concluding Q&A session. Of particular interest to the audience were potential solutions aimed at overcoming the hurdles on the road to an intelligent and fully digitalized mining sector. Fu Ensan emphasized the need for big data integration to optimize open-pit mining, a task that can only be achieved by combining the expertise of different fields, including engineering, telecommunication and computer science. Moreover, both experts agreed that international cooperation continues to be vital and will not only contribute to developing advanced technologies, optimized workflows and improved safety standards, but also pave the way to further decarbonize a crucial, yet up until now highly emission-intensive industry sector.

© German Industry & Commerce China Beijing

Since the concept of green mines has been first initiated in 2007, the Chinese government has issued a series of policies and incentives to promote green mines construction and set the goal to establish a green mines pattern by 2020 in its National Mineral Resources Plan (2008-2015). Furthermore, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) published national standards for green mines for nine industries, including non-metallic minerals, coal, metallurgy, and non-ferrous metals. The standards came into force in October 2018 and define basic requirements for environmental protection in the mining area, comprehensive utilization of resources, energy saving & emissions reduction, as well as requirements for technological innovation and digitization. By the end of last year, more than 1,200 mines have been included in the National List of Green Mines. In addition, industry initiatives have been launched to support the development of green mining in China, covering the entire life cycle of a mine, from planning and design to closure. In light of these developments, it is interesting to learn more about green mining in China, and to discuss implications for the mining industry, and opportunities for Sino-German cooperation.

In the framework of the newly established Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources, German Industry & Commerce China Beijing, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), organized an Information Event on the topic of “Framework and Developments for Green Mines in China” on 27 April 2021. At the meeting, two renowned experts presented to more than 70 participants in Beijing and online the latest information on Chinese legislation, policies, and standards for green mines and, in this context, shared insights on the status and demand for resource and energy efficiency technologies in mining and mineral processing in China.

The first presentation, given by Prof. Xu Xiangyang, Director of the Center for Resources and Environmental Policy Research at China University of Mining and Technology Beijing, focused on the legislation, policies and standards providing the framework for green mining in China. Beginning with the significance of mining for China’s economy, Prof. Xu then went on to explain how the environmental impact of conventional mining operations required policy makers to adopt green and sustainable solutions. China’s mineral resource endowment is characterized by the principle “Three Few and Three Many” – a small number of high-grade deposits is accompanied by a high share of small- and medium-scaled, yet still profitable reserves of lower quality. In order to avoid wasting mineral resources and improve the environmental compatibility of China’s extensive mining sector, while at the same time ensuring a safe supply of critical resources, a regulatory basis has been in the works since the MNR issued its "Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Construction of Green Mines” in 2017. These have since been implemented in two kinds of demonstration models, taking place on the regional level – led by the government – on one hand, and on an enterprise level, by integrating technological, environmental, as well as management and circular economy aspects, on the other hand. Prof. Xu concluded her presentation with a case study on how the Jincheng Anthracite Mining Group, operating in China’s Shanxi province, was able to significantly reduce its CO₂ emissions by employing a circular economy industry chain for high-rank coal mining.

Following as the second speaker, Associate Prof. Kou Jue from the University of Science and Technology Beijing presented her research on resource and energy efficiency in mining and mineral processing, with an emphasis on challenges and potential solutions specifically for the Chinese industry. Major hurdles that have been identified include the need to develop new innovative solutions for reducing the energy intensity, costs, and environmental impacts of comminution based mineral processing, finding ways to utilize clean and renewable energy sources to replace diesel fuels and applying sustainable and intelligent technologies to improve the carbon footprint of the Chinese mining industry, while also making it more productive and competitive on the global stage. Especially highly advanced technologies will play a significant role in at least partly addressing all of the aforementioned issues. For example, sensor-based bulk ore systems not only have the potential to reduce the environmental footprint of mining operations, but also reduce the costs by allowing automatic classification of ore quality. Likewise, a recently developed 5-step solution for comminution circuits, which makes use of energy benchmarking and software simulations, optimizes both the yield and energy efficiency of ore mining workflows. Important progress has also been made for the processing of minerals, by increasingly automatizing crushing and grinding processes. At the end of her presentation, Prof. Kou Jue pointed out the benefits of utilizing secondary resources associated with primary minerals deposits. These are either already highly abundant, such as pyrite resources associated with non-ferrous metals, or can be recovered afterwards by recycling of polymetallic mineral resources.

In the concluding Q&A session, participants on- and offline were eager to discuss with the two experts on matters ranging from the supervision and monitoring of environmental regulations to the global context of China’s green mining policies. It was highlighted that recently draft regulations were released by the government, which also include guidelines and rules for bringing companies into environmental compliance. As the mining sector is of strategic importance to the Chinese economy, regulations for commercial entities and research institutes alike have been observed to become stricter during recent years. Both speakers agreed, however, that the implementation of green mining policies has also benefitted mining communities by providing shared values in the form of building renewable energy infrastructure. For German companies, it is important to note that government incentives are not only provided to the mining operator, but also Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), thus providing them an opportunity to bring their expertise to China as the country strives to transform its mining sector towards a low-carbon future.

© German Industry & Commerce China Beijing