Invested by Europe: Why Critical Raw Materials Are Key to Europe’s Future

Critical raw materials are everywhere — in your phone, in solar
panels, in wind turbines, and in the batteries that power the
energy transition. But where do these materials come from? Why
does Europe depend so heavily on them? And how can we build more
secure, sustainable, and diversified supply chains? 


In this episode of Invested by Europe, Lerato Kotelo,
critical raw materials specialist at the European Investment
Bank, explains: 


What is a critical or strategic raw material 

Why technologies like batteries, solar panels and wind
turbines depend on them 

How Europe can diversify its supply and reduce
dependence on fossil 

Why recycling and innovation are so important 

How do new approaches like extracting lithium from geothermal
brines work 

How responsible partnerships with global producers can create
win‑win outcomes 



Lerato also shares insights on Europe’s mining history, today’s
rapidly changing extraction technologies, and how innovation is
making mining safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.


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