"Rare earths are a specific, highly useful category of critical minerals that are used to make magnets essential for the auto, electronic and defence industries, as well as in renewable energy. Securing reserves and production of rare earths has become a flashpoint in global diplomacy and trade. Rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals that are abundant throughout the Earth's crust. The United States Geological Survey estimated in 2024 there were 110m tonnes of deposits worldwide."
"That includes 44m in China by far the world's largest producer. Vietnam, Brazil, Russia and India also have significant deposits. But mining them requires heavy chemical use that results in toxic waste and has caused several environmental disasters. Production costs are also high. Rare earths are important because they are found in a wide variety of every day and hi-tech devices, from lightbulbs to guided missiles. Europium is crucial for television screens, while cerium is used for polishing glass and refining oil."
Rare earths are a group of 17 heavy metals used to make magnets essential to the auto, electronics, defence and renewable energy industries. Global deposits total about 110 million tonnes, with China holding roughly 44 million tonnes and other significant deposits in Vietnam, Brazil, Russia and India. Mining and processing require heavy chemicals, generate toxic waste and have caused environmental disasters, and production costs are high. Rare earths appear in everyday and high-tech devices; europium is used in television screens and cerium in glass polishing and oil refining. China dominates refining and patents, leading many firms to ship ore to China for processing and raising export and supply-chain concerns.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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