BGS to play its part in circular economy centres to drive UK to sustainable future
The British Geological Survey (BGS) will be at the heart of two pioneering new research centres designed to help drive the UK towards a circular economy and a more sustainable future.
13/11/2020 By BGS Press
BGS expertise will contribute to the development of two new UKRI-funded Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centres:
- The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre in Technology Metals
- The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials
They are part of five new centres announced on 11 November as part of a £22.5 million Government investment to explore how closing the loop for materials in the textiles, construction, chemical and metal industries can deliver huge environmental benefits and boost the UK economy.
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) interdisciplinary circular economy centres will help the UK move towards a circular economy, which will provide significant benefits by reducing waste, lowering the environmental impact of production and consumption in the UK and abroad, securing supply for critical raw materials and creating opportunities for new UK industries.
Global metal production 2017 data from BGS World Mineral Statistics Database.
The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre in Technology Metals will be led by the University of Exeter and is designed to revolutionize how critical metals are extracted, used and reused in low-carbon and digital technologies across the UK.
As part of this Centre, BGS will be responsible for the development of a Circular Economy National Virtual Data Observatory (NVO) to deliver stocks and flows data and information for a range of technology metals.
It will form a key part of the Centre’s work to explore ways to create a circular economy for the technology metals such as cobalt, rare earths and lithium, essential for low-carbon and digital technologies such as electric cars and wind turbines.
Dr Evi Petavratzi, BGS Mineral Commodity Expert said: “We are very excited to be given the opportunity to develop this National Virtual Data Observatory (NVO) in the UK, which will bridge the data gap about the whole cycle of technology metals.
“The geoscience community has a wide range of tools, methods and skills that are transferable to the challenges of the circular economy.”
The Centre aims to develop a new cycle, right from the first stages of extraction, to enable secure and environmentally-acceptable circulation of these materials within the UK economy.
It will bring together experts from the University of Exeter and the Camborne School of Mines, the Universities of Birmingham, Manchester, Leicester and the BGS, as well as 40 partner companies and organisations.
The Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Materials will be led by University College London, and aims to develop systems for more efficient use and recovery of mineral resources in the UK’s construction sector.
Relative topics
Related news
BGS Strategy stakeholder survey
05/08/2022
Have your say as we develop our new 2023-2027 strategy.
UK’s geomagnetic blind spots tackled with new observatories
28/07/2022
Three new geomagnetic observatories have been installed across the UK to fill in the country’s ‘blind spots’ and tackle the risk posed by space weather.
560-million-year-old fossil is first animal predator
25/07/2022
The specimen is the first of its kind to be found and is related to the group that includes modern corals, jellyfish and anemones.
Increased risk to the public from rockfalls as a result of the forecasted heatwave
15/07/2022
Take notice of warning signs and avoid going directly under or on top of cliffs, no matter how tempting it might be.
Identifying the science challenges for UK carbon storage
07/07/2022
A new report underlines importance of community engagement in achieving the UK national climate change targets.
Update on scientific shale gas report
05/07/2022
Following independent external peer review, a report has been submitted to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for consideration.
UK’s first Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre to help build a more resilient economy
04/07/2022
The UK’s first-ever centre to collect and analyse information on the supply of critical minerals, which are vital to the UK’s economic success and national security, has officially launched.
BGS launches new Geology Viewer
30/06/2022
A new app providing easy access to the subsurface of Britain has been released by BGS.
Major research project will support UK’s energy transition
27/06/2022
BGS will lead the new research project ‘Managing the Environmental Sustainability of the Offshore Energy Transition’.
Climate change and human exploitation linked to historic decline in Atlantic salmon
08/06/2022
New research reveals that both a change in climate and human exploitation played a role in a decline in North Atlantic salmon populations.
Scientists reveal extraordinary ecosystems in the deepest part of the Indian Ocean
08/06/2022
New technology has enabled marine scientists to capture some of the world’s first images of previously unexplored habitats in the deepest point of the Indian Ocean.
Positively blooming: Japanese flowering cherry trees planted at BGS Keyworth to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee
31/05/2022
The walkway of eight trees has been planted in the grounds of BGS headquarters in Keyworth to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne.