Reopen mines today is not to return to the 19th century or to the time of Germinal
For the president of the MR, it is not a question for Wallonia – or for Europe – of fully replacing Chinese production, but of meeting the growing needs linked to the energy transition while reducing dependence towards third countries.
Concretely, this revival would go through a geological exploration campaign, followed by pilot projects aimed, for example, lead, zinc and germanium in calamine, or phosphates in the Mons basin. “”To reopen mines today is not to return to the 19th century or to the time of Germinal. It is to prepare the future with the standards of the XXI: eco -design, automation, recycling, respect for the environment “says Georges-Louis Bouchez. “”And it is first of all a strategic choice, both to secure supply and relaunch the Walloon industrial fabric. Because it is not enough to extract these rare earths: it is also necessary to refine and recycle them.“
Mining code reform
According to the president of the MR, the question of a recovery of the mining extraction has already invited the table of the executive Wallon. “”The government will modify the mining code to make geological exploration easier and know exactly what we have in our basement add Georges-Louis Bouchez. The idea is also to devote the coming months to have a specific census of what is in the basement. Then, we could put parts of the territory in concession to have mining farms. “
Note that the mining code, adopted under the previous government, would be “too restrictive “, According to the MR, which also believes that tax provisions could be envisaged in the federally to strengthen the competitiveness of the sector. In addition, the Liberal Party pleads for an exploitation “responsible” Polymmetallic nodules of the great seabed, which environmental organizations want to preserve by a moratorium.
But Georges-Louis Bouchez defends himself to relay the message of industrialists: “On the other hand, it is true that we have companies in Belgium which have real expertise, like Deme or even Magotteaux. If we could have a 100 % Belgian, or even 100 % Walloon chain, it would increase our industry. Recall that the share of the industrial sector in Walloon GDP increased from 20 % to 12 % in 25 years. And it takes between 5 to 10 years between the moment when we have established our resources and the opening of a mine. If we start on the side of the Walloon government, it means that for 2030 we could have mines in Wallonia. “
Coup? He answers!
Finally, the president of the MR anticipates criticism that will evoke a simple communication stroke: “Mining extraction is exactly like nuclear. At the time, we were looked at like enlightened. Then we see what happened over time. If we want Europe to regain the attributes of a power and that Wallonia of the perspectives, we must find autonomy on the military, energetic and industrial level. Europeans cannot believe that their defense will be provided by the United States, the industry guaranteed by China, and that they will be able to continue to live the Dolce Vita. “
The MR study center has looked into the subject
Georges-Louis Bouchez did not go alone to Blegny. It was accompanied by representatives of the Jean Gol center which published a study called “Relays mining activity in Belgium and Europe”. Alongside them was Professor Éric Pirard, of the gemme (georessources, mineralurgy and extractive metallurgy), a research center of the University of Liège. “The rare earths are not rare,he recalls. There are everywhere: in Europe, the United States and China. If Chinese companies today dominate the value chain, it is because they have left them the opportunity. China has gradually taken control of cobalt, nickel, graphite, but also lithium. The path to autonomy will be long. “
Among the speakers also included geologist André Tahon, who crisscrossed the globe. “It takes between five and ten years to open small or medium size mines”estimates this expert who recommends airborne issues: “These operations are carried out with a flying helicopter at low altitude. In Wallonia, we would have a good chance of detecting deposits located between 500 and 800 meters deep.”
