From smartphones and computers to green energy and modern weaponry, the technology that modern life depends on would be impossible without rare Earth elements (REE). Unfortunately, global demand for REEs is increasing and production is gradually becoming more and more difficult.
What does the future hold? What exactly are the main problems for suppliers and consumers?
The following infographic looks at what rare earth elements are, what we use them for, what’s the main issues, and more.
[Click image for full size version]
Via Buy Metal Online
The Future of Rare Earth Elements
From our smartphones and computers to green energy and modern weaponry, the technology that modern life depends on would be impossible without rare earth elements (REE)
However, global demand for REEs is increasing, and production is gradually becoming more and more difficult.
So what does the future hold? What exactly are the main problems for suppliers and consumers?
We take a look in this new infographic…
WHAT ARE RARE EARTH ELEMENTS?
Despite the somewhat misleading name, rare earth elements aren’t particularly rare. The 17 metallic elements are comparatively earth’s crust, but the techniques used to extract (and refine) them are very expensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly.
There are 17 REEs within the chemical group called Lanthanides, plus Yttrium and Scandium:
WHAT DO WE USE THEM FOR?
Rare earth elements are so important to our way of life as they’re used in the production of a wide range of modern technology.
To give you an idea, REEs are used in the production or functionality of the following examples:
- Hard drives
- GPS systems
- Rechargeable batteries
- Camera lenses
- Efficient lightbulbs
- Full colour displays
- Communication systems
- Wind turbines
- Mobile speakers
- Visors / eye protection
- Smartphones
- X-Ray machines
- Lasers
- Anti-missile protection
- Jet engines
- Neutron radiotherapy
- MRI machines
- Aircraft / shuttle parts
- Fibre optic cables
- Water treatment
- Solar energy
WHAT’S THE MAIN PROBLEM?
Recently, a study by researchers at Yale University found that many of the materials used in high-tech products, including rare earth metals, have no satisfactory substitutes.
To further underscore our over-reliance on REEs, a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that the manufacturing of smartphones and other electronics requires more than 60 different elements, whereas today’s computers and smartphones used more than two-thirds of the periodic table.
They also showed there were no effective replacement substitutes for a metal that would not compromise on quality or performance.
While we are not running out of rare earths just yet, the growing amount of time, energy and money required to extract the elements reach a point where it is no longer economically viable to use them as part of modern industrial design.
Even if we can continue to extract them (and use current above ground stockpiles), we will soon reach a point where demand outstrips production.
WHO’S PRODUCING THE WORLD’S REEs?
Up until the mid 1980s, the US were the primary producers of the world’s rare earth elements, thanks to the Mountain Pass mine.
Since then, the US’s production of REEs have dropped considerably, coinciding with a dramatic rise in REEs coming out of China.
However, China have been gradually reducing the amount of REEs exported to other countries. They estimate two thirds of their available REEs have been mined, and also cite damage to their environment, landslides, clogged rivers and even major accidents and disasters. It should be noted however that some critics have accused China of using environmental concerns to control the REE market and punish countries it doesn’t like – such as Japan.
WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
Unfortunately, there is no readily available solution to the problems associated with our reliance on REEs.
Replacements
The most obvious solution, but there are no readily available substitutes currently in existence, making this unlikely.
Recycling
This is a possibility, but we would have to wait until REE use at least plateaus before this would be a viable option.
New Sources
The most likely solution is finding new sources of REE outside of China. Searches for alternative sources in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, Tanzania, Greenland and the USA are ongoing.
One potential solution is to look for REEs on the moon, which is perhaps more likely than it initially sounds. As part of the Federal Space Program, moon exploration operations will be launched in 2016. A manned flight is scheduled for 2030–2031, and future plans include the mining or rare earth metals required for development of high-tech industries.