Rare materials: France scores a decisive point
On September 18, 2023, the first meeting of ISO Technical Committee 345, led by France, was held. Behind this code name lies a subject that is essential to our industry: rare or critical materials, also known as "specialty materials."
Circular economy
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Did you know that your smartphone needs more than 50 rare materials to function? Among them, and just for batteries alone: lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Indium is also needed to make touchscreens. But rare materials are not just found in our phones; they are essential for electric vehicles, all digital technologies, renewable energies, medical devices, and more.
The European Union began listing them in 2014. By the 2020 edition of this census, their number had already more than doubled, with the list reaching 30 names. These materials are widely imported and are the subject of a vast economic and geopolitical battle. The starting point is their quality: manufacturers quickly realized the importance of agreeing on how to measure their purity levels before purchasing them. This is where voluntary standards come in.
ISO/TC 345: 14 participating members and 16 observers
In July 2023, after a year and a half of work, negotiations, and diplomacy, France scored a major victory on the global stage, which is proving particularly complex, between customs duties and the creation of scarcity effects. Among the pawns available to each country, one of the most powerful is ISO standards.
We are pleased and proud to announce that ISO has approved the creation of a technical committee (designated TC 345) on specialty metals and materials, covering cobalt in particular, and has assigned the secretariat to AFNOR.
Franck Lebeugledirector of standardization activities for the association
Franck Lebeugle has been appointed to represent France in international voluntary standardization bodies. The committee currently has 14 participating members and 16 observers.
The program covers cobalt, which is essential to the nuclear industry, and many other minerals and materials that are just as strategic: antimony, beryllium, chromium, niobium, platinum group metals, and graphite. A perfect example of the usefulness of voluntary standards: this is the starting point for an adventure that begins with analysis methods... and may lead us to the vital issues of responsible mining and recycling.
, concluded Franck Lebeugle. AFNOR will need to ensure that it builds a strong French position to defend internationally. An informational webinar will be held on December 7, 2023, to present the work.
In the meantime, companies are gearing up for battle in this strategic market. One example is Arverne, a young industrial company specializing in geothermal energy and lithium. This mission-driven company has formalized the acquisition of Transition and its IPO, opening the door to a €150 million fundraising round, the largest on the Paris Stock Exchange since the beginning of 2023.
