The purpose of this report is to study the past and current situation of mineral consumption and aggregate demand of raw materials worldwide, focusing on the social impacts of the mining industry and its correlation to social distress, conflict and technological development. Therefrom, the report will focus on the situation within the European Union, both in the extractive industry and in the demand of raw materials, looking for the interrelationships between society and education. Finally, the study will look into the management of waste streams and outline the problems and opportunities related to urban mining and responsible use of raw materials, focusing on Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), in particular.