Development of decision-making tools to create a harmonised UK national mineral resource inventory using the United Nations Framework Classification

• Published in: Resources policy Vol. 76; p. 102558
• Main Authors: Bide, T., Brown, T.J., Gunn, A.G., Deady, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2022; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adoption of innovations; Classification; Commodities; Critical minerals; Data; Datasets; Decision making; Environmental aspects; Feasibility; Geology; Harmonization; International comparisons; Inventory; Mineral resource; Mineral resources; Minerals; Nations; Policy making; Raw materials; Resource classification; Resource management; Socioeconomic factors; Stocks; Technology assessment; UNFC; User requirements; United Kingdom > UK; Mineral resource; UNFC; Resource classification; Critical minerals; Resource management
• ISSN: 0301-4207; 1873-7641
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.102558

The need to better understand how we source and consume the raw materials required for decarbonisation is driving a growing demand for data on mineral resources. A key application of these data is to understand resource potential, by evaluating known ‘geological stocks’ of raw materials based on estimates of mineral resources and reserves. However, the available resource data are often incomplete, totally lacking or compiled in different ways (i.e. industry reported data, which has significantly different user requirements to that of national level policy makers), making comparisons and aggregation near impossible. This study demonstrates the use of the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) to harmonise resource data for the UK. It highlights the benefits of this approach for improving the understanding of resource issues. Simple decision-making tools have been created, and are used to assist with classifying existing resource data using the three axes of UNFC, degree of confidence, technical feasibility and environmental socio-economic viability. These are designed to be applicable to a wide range of heterogenous datasets managed by national data providers. Their application to the UK, which has no system or national standard for collecting resource data, has served to highlight various issues relating to future mineral supply. These include variable data for deposits that may include multiple commodities such as co- and by-products, lack of data for minerals required for newly developing technologies and the variations in approaches for different commodity types. The compilation of standardised datasets can benefit national resource management, providing a ‘snapshot’ of the state of the UK minerals industry. For example, the results of this study facilitates inter-regional and international comparison and aggregations. In addition the consideration of the unique combination of geological, social and environmental factors by UNFC well as highlights where interventions may be needed if new projects to contribute to the green transition are to be developed. The use of the UNFC to classify mineral resource data, in a consistent way, by using the decision tools presented here, supports the creation and adoption of evidence-based raw material strategies. However, it is important to understand the limitations related to data gaps, consistency of approach and harmonisation of datasets from diverse sources. •UNFC is applicable to national mineral resource datasets and can standardise data from different sources•Decision flow tools have been produced as guide for using the UNFC, to ensure consistency between different organisations.•Presentation of mineral resource data in this way allows comparison of data for different commodities and countries.•This classification helps to identify barriers to resource development and the interventions required to mitigate them.