Mini-documentary – The Sami Perspective (Storyrunner production, collaboration with SIM² KU Leuven)

The Sami Perspective: new mini-documentary on the difficult relationship between the indigenous reindeer-herding Sami communities and metal mining in the far North of Europe.

The goal of this mini-documentary is to provide the opportunity to the reindeer-herding Sami people to share their specific, local “Sami perspective” on the on-going discussion about mining of energy-transition metals in Europe. What started as a conversation about how mining impacts reindeer husbandry evolved into a broader discussion about the future of this planet, in view of the escalating global ecosystem crisis. How do we mitigate the climate crisis and what is the role of metals therein? Where do we need to get these metals from? How can mining be done in a responsible way? Why are, on a global scale, 54% of all energy-transition metal mines located on or near indigenous lands? Are European city dwellers hypocrites if they don’t want CRM-mines in “their backyard” but yet drive around in Tesla/BYD EVs and own multiple smart phones, laptops, tablets and other CRM-rich consumer devices, which undoubtedly contain metals that were once mined in indigenous territories? How can Europe defend itself against the Chinese juggernaut?

A fascinating documentary in which you can feel the pain and the respect of the film’s presenter for the reindeer-herding Sami perspective. This is only just the beginning of a highly complex discussion, as the reindeer-herding Sami only form one part of the overall Sami community in Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The film team
Stijn van Baarle (STORYRUNNER). Presenter: Peter Tom Jones (SIM2 KU Leuven). Camera man: Michael Van de Velde. Sound technicians: Casimir De Kimpe & Marius Acke. Graphic designer: Jasper Vander Elst

More information and contact details
Dr. Peter Tom Jones, Director of the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, is available for interviews: ones at KU Leuven (kuleuven.be/wieiswie/en/person/00025315)

Acknowledgements
unded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA and CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Co-funded by SOLVOMET R&I Centre, SIM2 KU Leuven.

SIM² KU Leuven is the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, one of the flagship KU Leuven Institutes formally endorsed by the KU Leuven Academic Council. SIM² KU Leuven’s mission is to develop, organise and implement problem-driven, science-deep research and future-oriented education, contributing to the environmentally friendly production and recycling of metals, minerals and engineered materials, supporting the transition to a climate-friendly, circular-economy. More information: https://kuleuven.sim2.be/about/

SOLVOMET is KU Leuven’s Research and Innovation Centre for Circular Hydrometallurgy. We support mining, metallurgical and recycling companies in the development of more sustainable (circular, low-energy input) hydrometallurgical processes, using state-of-the-art lab and mini-pilot scale experimental facilities and modelling capabilities. SOLVOMET’s vision is that metallurgical chemistry expertise allows to develop more efficient eco-friendly hydrometallurgical and solvometallurgical processes to provide the critical metals that are needed for the transition to a climate-neutral society. More information: https://solvomet.eu/

Horizon Europe ENICON
ENICON is a Horizon Europe-funded Research and Innovation Action project. ENICON stands for “Sustainable processing of Europe's low-grade sulphidic and lateritic nickel/cobalt ores and tailings into battery-grade metals”. In view of a “domestic and foreign sourcing” procurement model, ENICON exploits the potential of (low-grade) Ni/Co resources within Europe – i.e. sulphidic Ni/Co ores and derived Ni/Co-bearing pyrite and silicate tailings, and laterite Ni(/Co) ores – while improving and developing the Ni/Co-refining capacity that can process imported ores, concentrates and intermediates. ENICON comprises both major improvements to existing Ni/Co metallurgical unit operations in Europe as well as the development of a new HCl-based route for both Ni/Co sulphide concentrates and laterites. More information: https://enicon-horizon.eu/about/

Horizon Europe EXCEED
EXCEED’s meta-objective is to unleash the full CRM and industrial mineral potential of Europe’s vast Li LCT-pegmatite and Rare-Metal Granite hard-rock resources. Using four premier European pegmatite and RMG case studies, EXCEED develops, upscales & demonstrates cost-effective, sustainable and responsible extraction routes for recovering the CRMs and industrial minerals as by-products from Li-bearing hard-rock ores. A suite of CRMs will be extracted and refined, while diverse industrial minerals will be refined and valorised in low-carbon building materials. More information: https://exceed-horizon.eu/

Видео Mini-documentary – The Sami Perspective (Storyrunner production, collaboration with SIM² KU Leuven) канала SIM2 KU Leuven