1、The Future of Process IndustriesThe Mineral Shortage Is a Growing Problem.Hubs Offer a Solution January 2025 By Victoria Kulik,Marcin Lech,Tycho Mncks,Lorenzo Capucci,and Niel Naude1 THE MINERAL SHORTAGE IS A GROWING PROBLEM.HUBS OFFER A SOLUTIONThe Mineral Shortage Is a Growing Problem.Hubs Offer a

2、 SolutionAnd this gap doesnt just affect the shift to a green economyit has important implications for advanced technologies as well as broad swaths of the manufacturing sector and industrial base.(Consider,for example,the gargantuan needs of AI and data centers.)Minerals will be the new oil of the

3、worlds future economy.However,nearly 20%of the total global mineral supply that the world will need by 2035 has yet to be found.(See Exhibit 1ad.)So how can the world manage?The answer,we believe,lies in mineral hubs:regional processing centers that consoli-date resources and processing capabilities

4、 at scale.They can ensure more secure supply lines and drive costs down.The critical partnerships they foster between nations and companies can serve as an important bulwark against geopolitical risks and the global shift toward fragmented,regional supply chains.But the value of mineral hubs goes be

5、yond securing supply.Hubs represent a tremendous economic opportunity for producers and users alike.In this article,we examine how mineral hubs are reshaping the mineral processing landscape.We look at why they are so essential,how they work,and what steps mining compa-nies,manufacturers,and governm

6、ents need to take to respond to and gain from this emerging force.The Big Squeeze from Geology,Policy,and Geopolitics Renewable energy systems and electric vehicles(EVs)central components of the energy transitionrequire several times more minerals than their traditional counter-parts.In the race to