In the popular Minecraft game, creativity and resilience comes from the crafting table, not the mine. Image credit: One of the author's daughter's many Minecraft worlds. Critical minerals are top of mind for governments around the world today. ‘Critical’ for the function they provide in this age of electrification and AI, these minerals are also critical for another, more strategic reason: few nations can transform these raw mineral resources into value-add, industry-ready materials. If the...

Sewage treatment ponds on the outskirts of Blenheim in the Nelson region. Image credit: iStock Wastewater treatment is an essential but unseen urban service, often one we take for granted, unless something goes wrong. Yet wastewater treatment also has unseen environmental impacts, contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the acidification of the ocean. As the urban footprint grows, so too will the environmental harm footprint, and the compliance costs associated with trying to...

Electrification of everything doesn't just mean renewable sources, it also means energy storage solutions - batteries. To achieve a positive shift that reduces climate impact and improves resilience we need to rethink where the minerals inside these batteries come from. Aspiring Materials offers one solution to this challenge with clean, ethically produced nickel hydroxide.