Miners Are Extending Existing Mines Instead of Building New Ones to Supply Metals for Renewable Technologies

Brisbane, Australia – Mining companies around the world are increasingly expanding and deepening existing mine sites rather than developing new projects to meet the skyrocketing demand for metals needed in renewable energy technologies and related industries, according to research from the University of Queensland (UQ). This trend is driven by challenges and delays in opening new mines, prompting firms to rely on already operating sites to keep up with the urgent supply requirements for materials such as copper, lithium, nickel and others.

UQ researchers, led by Professor Deanna Kemp from the Sustainable Minerals Institute, examined data on mining activity over the last 20 years and found that investment in expanding brownfield mines — existing mining locations — has been growing at a rate not seen before, while investment in brand-new sites has declined. According to the study published in the journal One Earth, companies are focusing on extending the life and capacity of current mines in at least 57 countries, as opening new sites faces social, regulatory and financial hurdles.

Experts say the shift has important implications for how metals are sourced for the global energy transition, which depends on large supplies of critical minerals for solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and transport electrification. However, expanding older sites often means digging deeper into lower-grade ore, producing more waste rock, and extending environmental impacts beyond original mine footprints, which could increase social and ecological costs over time.

Professor Kemp noted that navigating these trends will require more realistic and comprehensive regulatory frameworks that consider the long-term effects of expanding existing mines, rather than simply assuming new projects will supply future demand. Policymakers may need to rethink how mining activity is governed to address sustainability and community concerns while securing metals vital to achieving renewable energy goals.