How France is investigating the return of mines

Economic intelligence

The new observatory brings innovation to the Bureau of Geological and Mining Surveys: this famous BRGM from the Gaullist years helped establish Ofremi and will form its complex work. Indeed, around this table of experts, especially the CEA, the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (Cnam), the French Institute of Oil and New Energy (Ifpen) will be created to investigate cobalt, lithium mines. and nickel, mineral processing industries from around the world, shareholders of these major players, etc.

As explained by Christophe Poinssot, deputy managing director of BRGM, “an economic intelligence tool that will produce reports and studies, but also make notes over time that show the risks for these sectors, intended to provide producers. It is a real public-private partnership on an important topic The observatory will benefit from an annual operating budget of €5 million, including state grants of €3 million.

Digging strikes in France?

All these initiatives stem from a report prepared by Philippe Varin, the former head of France Industrie and PSA, at the request of the government and presented on January 10. Like another proposal that came out of it – the creation of a fund that would buy stakes in strategic mining operators – these initiatives are aimed at securing supply from foreign producing countries, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Australia.

However, one question is on the lips of the BRGM, as well as the France 2030 secretariat, the Imerys mining company, as well as the Ministry of Industry: does not France’s sovereignty in strategic materials go beyond the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources? When is the next rod to extract copper or tungsten from French soil?

Lithium operation at Allier

Imerys revived the inquiry in late October by announcing a lithium mining project at Allier in Echassière. The opening of the site, which is not planned until 2028, is supported by the government’s France 2030 plan, because “it will provide the equivalent of 700,000 cars per year with lithium and significantly reduce the dependence of French industry on non-European sources”, explains Bercy.

Read alsoIn the lithium race, France is planning one of Europe’s biggest mines by 2027

BRGM’s Christophe Poinssot believes that “We cannot avoid opening the debate on the exploitation of French lands. This mining industry has stopped in France, while we depend on it for our lifestyle. For our smartphones today, but tomorrow for more electric cars and the whole environmental transition. We we need to know whether we want these important materials and minerals to come almost exclusively from third countries or not.”

With the social and environmental consequences of such an outsourcing choice. “We actually prefer not to exploit children in the Congolese mines, above all to dig our land,” the employer official teases.

Inevitable contamination

Olivier Lluance, former representative of industrial areas under Francois Hollande and partner at PwC, also believes that “this is a national debate that really needs to take place. In order to draw up a strategy for the country as a whole. Because if we lead discussions about the usefulness of opening mines only in the surrounding areas, the answer is in the question.”

Among the documents that should be paid to this national debate, experts believe that, in addition to false modesty, it is necessary to mention the inevitable environmental damage. “You don’t have to tell a story, explains a good connoisseur of the file. Progress has been made, but the fact remains that opencast mines can never be hidden, and the heavy trucks that transport the material are still non-electric and silent!”

Read alsoCritical metals: French sovereignty, a very ambitious project? – Challenges

Therefore, the supporters of mining in France are tiptoeing over this mine and the mined area. Bruno Jacquemin, chief representative of the employers’ federation of the Alliance of Minerals, Minerals and Metals (A3M), believes that “We must move forward avoiding the ayatollahs of both sides. On the one hand, we must put an end to the ideological a priori that has forced us to abandon all mining operations for half a century. At the same time, it must be admitted that tomorrow it is more correct to use the lithium deposit in Audierne Bay, in Finistere, in the middle of the Natura 2000 zone…”

For a Jancovici of the mines

With that being said, could the debate be reversed as nuclear power enjoyed this winter? “We need a Jan-Marc Jankovic from the mines,” laughs Bruno Jakmin, referring to the flamboyant engineer, media star and minister embattled as he simultaneously champions the fight against global warming and the development of nuclear power plants.

Political leaders remain on guard. “The level of acceptability for opening mines in our area is low. And it will be difficult to try to move forward in this matter,” said a senior government official. The elected representatives of the majority are paralyzed by the strong environmental reactions that will lead to the slightest demonstration in favor of mining in the broad circles of the parliament as well as among the zadists in the field.

Macronia’s flight over the deep sea

Emmanuel Macron has already made promises to the Greens on these issues. If the exploration of the deep seas justified the lyrical flights of the President of the Republic, a year ago, during the presentation of France 2030, he hurriedly noted during the November 27 Cope: “The prohibition of any exploitation of the deep seabed in France.”

The fundamental change in the giant industrial mine Montagne d’Or in French Guiana is even more striking: after supporting the project in 2017, Emmanuel Macron finally buried it on the occasion of the creation of the Defense Council. 2019.

Read alsoMacron puts Montagne d’Or mining project on hold – Teller Report

The earthquake in this mine can therefore subside quickly. This phenomenon has already happened several times. The establishment of the National Mining Company by Arnaud Montebourg in 2014 did not lead to a revival of operations. “We have already lost eight years in this matter, woe to the former minister of productive recovery. “There are many benefits for the development of Chinese competition in eight years.”

A 2018 joint report by the Academies of Science and Technology, which noted “a possible resumption of mining and processing activities in the national territory,” was no more effective. The academics invited the political authorities to “imagine a national collective narrative that celebrates France’s approach to subsoil use within the framework of the energy and ecological transition”. Almost five years later, there is only a white sheet of lithium from this story.

Read alsoThe truth about the profitable “responsible mine” promoted by Arnaud Montebourg