Raw materials in the Netherlands

Changing demand for raw materials

The Netherlands has a rich history of raw material production, primarily focusing on energy sources such as peat, coal, oil, and gas, as well as building materials such as limestone, gravel, sand, and clay. It is often assumed that the Netherlands offers limited potential for critical raw materials, although very little research has been conducted on most of these materials. Meanwhile, the demand for raw materials has grown and diversified, and more efficient extraction techniques have been developed. The Netherlands Materials Observatory (NMO) aims to better identify the true potential of critical raw materials by re-analysing existing data and posing new research questions.

The European Union is more than 90% dependent on imports of critical raw materials. However, Europe has significant geological potential to reduce this dependence. All EU Member States are expected to map and share their critical raw material potential and stocks at European level. The last systematic analysis of the economic importance of mineral resources in the Netherlands was conducted in 1946 by the Rijks Geologische Dienst (the predecessor of today's Geological Survey of the Netherlands). This indicates a need for a fresh approach to determine the potential for critical raw materials.

The NMO draws on 100 years of accumulated knowledge about the Dutch subsurface and identifies regions which require further in-depth study. Moreover, the NMO examines how critical resource extraction can be combined with other existing activities in the subsurface, such as geothermal heat production, groundwater extraction, and construction projects. The NMO also keeps track of the latest technological developments in exploration and extraction to ensure that methods are sustainable and effective.