The management of metallic resources is increasingly subject to rising tensions. The energy transition is reshaping demand by bringing to the forefront metals that were historically considered secondary. This research project aims to assess the current and future environmental impacts of these strategic metals.

Even if Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a detailed tool for modelling environmental impacts, it is not suited for large-scale analysis. Applying it to the entire mining sector would require extensive data collection which is time consuming, resulting in significant costs. The Environmentally Extended Input-Output (EEIO) model provides a more comprehensive perspective but remains too aggregated to distinguish characteristics of different mining industries.

The first step of the research project consists in refining the EEIO model by distinguishing metals and their production processes at the international scale. The model developed will then be adapted to consider transition scenarios, giving a prospective dimension to the model.