Minespider research and sources

Blockchain protocol for responsible mineral sourcing

Blockchain Protocol for Responsible Mineral Sourcing

Founded in 2018, Minespider is an open blockchain protocol and DApp for creating digital certificates to track minerals along global supply chains.

Minespider is another traceability technology company that provides blockchain technology to enhance transparency, traceability, and compliance throughout the battery supply chain.

Most initiatives store a decentralized identifier on-chain, establishing a digital product identity (e.g., Waste2Wear [48], Minespider [50], Circulor [56], TextileGenesis [58], SteelTrace [54], Everledger [37], ProDecipher [38], OriginTrail [39], Arianee [45], itmatters [40], EU IPO [46], Twinu [33]) based on the W3C decentralized identifiers framework [59].

Data integrity is maintained by anchoring cryptographic hashes of off-chain content onchain (e.g., Minespider [50], Circularise [34], SteelTrace [54], Dibichain [35], UPC eReuse [57], OriginTrail [39], EU IPO [46], Arianee [45]).

Off-chain data may reside in internal systems, cloud services with access controls (e.g., Minespider [50]), or decentralized networks like IPFS (e.g., Circularise [34]). DLTs then act as verifiable pointers without exposing data content.

The following initiatives implement smart contract-based access control to offchain databases (Minespider [50]; Circularise [34]; SteelTrace [54]; UPCeReuse [57]; Everledger [37]).

Volkswagen AG & Minespider In collaboration with the company Minespider, the Volkswagen Group aims to use blockchain technology to make its lead (Pb) supply chain more transparent and ensure the traceability of the raw materials used back to their origin. It also aims to ensure that the raw matPopova A. EV Battery Regulations Around the World: What You Need to Know. MINESPIDER 2022 Available online: https://www.minespider.com/blog/ev-battery-regulations-around-the-world-what-you-need-to-knowerials required for production are procured in a fair, socially and environmentally responsible manner. Another objective is to eliminate sources of error within the supply chain and optimize supply chain risk management.

... Minespider integrating the Battery Passport with blockchain technology to not only ensure traceability of the materials but also to track ESG metrics for battery materials. However, the same article quotes the expert interview that highlights the issue of scalability, where larger companies are running pilots under controlled conditions [60].

Numerous start-up companies, such as Everledger, Cobalt Blockchain Inc., Circulor, Peer Ledger and Minespider, have consequently explored the use of blockchain for the enhanced traceability of raw materials. However, several issues arise which cast doubt on the technology’s panacea promise...

Volkswagen AG & Minespider In collaboration with the company Minespider, the Volkswagen Group aims to use blockchain technology to make its lead (Pb) supply chain more transparent and ensure the traceability of the raw materials used back to their origin. It also aims to ensure that the raw materials required for production are procured in a fair, socially and environmentally responsible manner. Another objective is to eliminate sources of error within the supply chain and optimize supply chain risk management.

In 2020, German blockchain company Minespider helps automaker Volkswagen improve the transparency of its supply chain. Volkswagen aims to enhance the efficiency of its supply chain by using blockchain technology, therefore mitigating potential sources of mistake and assuring adherence to social and ecological norms.

A new blockchain tool for mineral traceability has been developed and implemented together with Minespider AG in 2020.

LuNa Smelter has partnered with Minespider Google and the Rwanda Mines Petroleum and Gas Board to pilot the OreSource blockchain tool in Rwanda.

Minespider and the LuNa team sent first shipments of registered material in December 2020 informing the customer beforehand and following up after they had received the data.

Minespider operates a raw material supply chain infrastructure platform that uses digital ledger technology to trace minerals and other commodities along the entire supply chain. The companies that use the platform want to understand their supply chain exposure to major controversial activities such as forced, bonded or child labor, corruption and counterfeiting in their global supply chains, and various degrees of separation from a company’s purchasing decisions.

The Minespider Protocol offers companies a way to understand where those issues reside in their network as a complement to supplier-level questionnaires... Through pilot programs that trace the supply chains of metals in select countries, the platform has been able to more efficiently collect information needed to unveil weaknesses in suppliers.