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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