Europe doesn’t just need more minerals. It needs more trust.
Across lithium, copper, tungsten and beyond, the biggest bottleneck isn’t geology or investment. It’s public confidence. Projects are slowing because communities feel decisions are being made about them, not with them.
What struck me at MINEX was how the conversation is shifting. Instead of dismissing community concerns as “misunderstandings,” companies and policymakers are starting to recognise the power of real transparency — not as PR, but as strategy.
When data is disclosed openly — contracts, permitting terms, environmental impacts, revenue flows — communities can engage with evidence, not rumours.
And when people can see what’s happening and why, the debate becomes grounded, constructive, and more likely to move forward.
This isn’t just about compliance.
It’s about legitimacy.
Europe’s energy transition will require more mining. But it must also empower the people living closest to the projects. Data disclosure is one of the most effective tools we have to make that happen.
If trust is the missing ingredient — transparency is how we start to build it.
