Mining in Austria

Rare earths remain highly coveted and controversial

Gold rush mood prevails in the race for raw materials for high-performance batteries. Controversial lithium mining also on the Koralpe in Carinthia. US President Trump is already "extorting" rare earths from Ukraine. 

It was a shockwave for conservationists when the Carinthian provincial authority announced that no environmental impact assessment was required for the planned lithium mine on the Koralpe. The decision was a punch in the gut for concerned residents. GLOBAL 2000 activist Anna Leitner is sounding the alarm: "The rapid expansion of global mining - fuelled by the greed for raw materials - for the energy transition and digitalization completely disregards nature conservation."