Electronics Industry Competes for Raw Materials; Will the Scarcity of Natural

Resources Become a Showstopper for the Information & Communications

Industry?

Ifixit.org, 2014

Availability of Resources and Supply/Demand

• High tech metals & rare

earth elements

• Resources/Reserves

• Competitive marketplace

• 97% of rare earth metals

in China

How does the price of a material affect how mining companies operate?

• Production costs

• Increase in population

• High price for raw materials

• more investment in mining technologies

• Resources & reserves

What strategies can be employed to make a company more resilient to fluctuations in raw

materials markets?

• A more secure supply chain

• Innovation

• Substitution of materials

• ‘closed loop’ operation

Greenpost.com, 2014

Can recycling play a role in availability of materials?

• Urban and landfill mining

• The WEEE directive

• Private companies

• Regulation

Estrallamountain.edu, 2014

What Does the Industry Need to Do?

• Develop a wider supply base

• Secure agreements on specific supply chains

• Take an active role in material production

• Evaluate product design and substitution

• Establish a ‘closed loop’ recycling process

E-Waste Management: From Waste to Resource

• Hieronymi, K. (2012) Electronics Industry Competes for Raw Materials; Will the Scarcity of Natural Resources Become a Showstopper for the Information & Communications Industry? In E-waste management: from waste to resource, Kahhat, R., Hieronymi, K. & Williams, E., eds., Earthscan, London, 237-250

Hehir, 2014