Set in stone? The German economy’s dependency on copper, lithium and rare earths

The future-proof positioning of Germany's supply of mineral raw materials is key to safeguarding the country’s viability as a business location, also in view of rising minerals demand for use in future technologies. A study commissioned by KfW Research and compiled by IW Consult and Fraunhofer ISI analyses the raw material-related value added for the raw materials copper, lithium and rare earths. High dependencies exist in sectors that characterise the manufacturing industry in Germany. They are particularly pronounced in the motor vehicle and parts sector but also in the manufacture of electrical equipment, as well as electronic and optical products. Differentiated supply risks arise along the production and supply chains of the three raw materials due to various country risks and market concentrations. In view of the heterogeneous risk profiles, a modular approach can be used to make the future supply of raw materials more resilient.

Set in stone? The German economy’s dependency on copper, lithium and rare earths(PDF, 1 MB, accessible)

Press release