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Metals are, and will continue to be, a pre-requisite for
modern society. The houses and offices we live and work
in; the cars, planes and trains we use for transport; the
computers and mobile phones we use to communicate –
all rely on metals.
Metal producers in Norway are operating in an internation-
al market. They have owners with a long-term strategy for
further operations in Norway and with an active focus on
technological innovations.
The metal producing industry is one of Norway’s larg-
est land-based industry, with annual production of more
than 3 000 000 tonnes metal and a turnover about 50 000
mill NOK. In addition, this industry “manages” about 30%
of Norway’s total electricity consumption and employs
~10000 people. In 2020, a significant surplus of electricity
in Norway is expected, pointing to new opportunities for
energy intensive industries.
At the same time, the framework conditions for metals
producers are changing rapidly:
i.
Unprecedented growth in the demand for metals,
mainly due to industrialization and urbanization in
emerging market economies;
ii.
rising concerns regarding access to the raw
materials used in electronics and new technologies
that are essential for environmental protection;
iii. energy use and GHG emissions need to be reduced
drastically to avoid dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate system;
iv.
Mature economies experience an increasing
availability of scrap that may be used as a
secondary resource and may thereby address (i)-
(iii); however, unresolved quality challenges remain.
Metals producers need to adjust to these changing
boundary conditions in order to remain competitive
on the global markets.
This requires several breakthroughs:
i.
new technologies for more resource-efficient
and emissions-saving primary and secondary
production;
ii.
new tools for forecasting changes in the global
material cycles and for identifying the most
effective combinations of technologies to support
decision-making in industry and government.
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About SFI Metal Production