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If we were to collect all smartphones and recycle them, we could have enough cobalt to manufacture batteries for four million electric cars. (Photo: Phil Greaney)

Raw materials: 'holy grail' of 21st century industrial policy

Raw materials are indispensable for carbon-neutral solutions in all sectors of the economy.

This is among key messages presented in the European Commission's strategy towards a climate neutral Europe by 2050.

Even if they go unnoticed, practically everything we use contains raw materials like steel, aluminium or copper.

Less-known metals, rare earths are essential to green technologies such as wind turbines. Lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite are necessary for electric c...

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