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Mining and minerals

Extracting minerals can bring a range of benefits but mines can also provoke conflict and harm people and the environment.

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Reports & Analysis

Aerial view of a Lithium drilling rig in a rural area near a forest

Aerial view of a Lithium drilling rig in a rural area near a forest

Plans for German lithium mining prompt local protests

Plans for German lithium mining prompt local protests

Germany's lithium reserves are in the focus of mining companies, but locals fear for the region's tourist industry.

View of a wooden church building sitting on a specially built relocation rig on wheels

View of a wooden church building sitting on a specially built relocation rig on wheels

Sweden: Kiruna's church on the move

Sweden: Kiruna's church on the move

In Kiruna, Sweden, residents are relocating a 670-ton church, part of a city-wide move. But what is the reason?

A handful of old rare earth magnets

A handful of old rare earth magnets

A German town's bid to break China's grip on rare earths

A German town's bid to break China's grip on rare earths

The EU aims to cut its reliance on Chinese rare earths. But can greener European alternatives be profitable enough?

church being moved, with spectators in the foreground and mining landscape in the background

church being moved, with spectators in the foreground and mining landscape in the background

Moving home: Historic Swedish church relocates to a new site

Moving home: Historic Swedish church relocates to a new site

A church and its entire contents in the Swedish town of Kiruna is relocated in one piece to another part of town.

A combination photo of US President Donald Trump (left) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

A combination photo of US President Donald Trump (left) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

Why is Trump being so generous to China?

Why is Trump being so generous to China?

Donald Trump has slashed tariffs and softened his stance on China, while imposing steep duties on India and Brazil.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House (file photo)

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House (file photo)

Trump extends China tariff deadline by 90 days

Trump extends China tariff deadline by 90 days

Donald Trump signed an executive order giving Beijing's negotiators more time to reach a trade deal with Washington.

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Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

Red wooden houses on a lake

Red wooden houses on a lake

Could a village in Norway be the EU's rare earths source?

To reduce its dependency on China, the EU is looking to a sleepy Norwegian village for components in digital tech.

A deep sea robot on a hoist above the ocean

A deep sea robot on a hoist above the ocean

Deep-sea mining: The rush to mine the unknown

With the backing of the US government, a Canadian company is poised to sidestep UN laws and start vacuuming metals.

A machine selects raw material with high content of rare earth in Bayan Ob, China.

A machine selects raw material with high content of rare earth in Bayan Ob, China.

Why China's rare earth supremacy damages the global economy

China has threatened to limit exports of rare earth. It would be a major blow to businesses around the world.

Water and green lakeside shores stretch into the distance. In the foreground ist a power plant

Water and green lakeside shores stretch into the distance. In the foreground ist a power plant

US rural communities bearing the brunt of bitcoin mining

A community in New York state fears that a bitcoin mining operation is harming their health, environment and tourism.

A "Danger Mines!" sign is installed in front of the lines of barbed wire and pyramidal anti-tank obstacles in the field in Kharkiv region

A "Danger Mines!" sign is installed in front of the lines of barbed wire and pyramidal anti-tank obstacles in the field in Kharkiv region

Russian threat sees Eastern Europe bring back land mines

Fearing a Russian attack, five European countries plan to secure NATO's eastern borders with millions of land mines.

Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China, on October 31, 2010

Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China, on October 31, 2010

How China wields rare earths as a strategic weapon

Until global supplies of rare earths increase, Beijing can wield great power over the West's critical industries.

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