In a move towards sustainable resource management, several countries have presented case studies of how the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) can scale-up harmonized resource management. UNFC provides a common language and standards for the classification of all energy and mineral resources.
Case Studies
UNFC has been applied in several case studies, including extracting Graphite in Norway, sections of Sweden’s Kiruna mine, the largest iron ore mine in the world, as well as supporting national evaluation of critical raw materials projects in France. Across Europe, UNFC is being incorporated into national minerals inventory projects by the Geological Service for Europe (GSEU).
Initiatives have been supported by the recent publication of UNFC Guidance Europe, a supportive document for policymakers to establish and maintain an inventory of primary and secondary raw materials projects in Europe, further facilitating decision-making by national governments, regional authorities, geological surveys, corporations and academics. UNFC use is also stipulated in the draft EU Critical Raw Materials Act presented in March.
UNFC has also been used to apply sustainable resource management practices to secondary raw materials, which can help accelerate the move to a circular economy. Finland has utilized UNFC to assess the utilization of extractive waste, while Sweden has created a UNFC-based inventory of mining waste. Switzerland has conducted a case study on embedded electronics in end-of-life vehicles, and France has applied UNFC to batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment. Additionally, Ukraine has developed a critical raw materials strategy using UNFC.
Expert Support
Leading experts from Europe and beyond expressed their support for UNFC as a vital tool to ensure strategic projects are developed sustainably in the region.
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