TELF AG examines some little-known characteristics of rare earths
The growing importance of rare earths
Rare earths have now entered the political and programmatic debates of various governments and international institutions, standing out above all for their growing value and the multiplicity of industrial applications for which they could be used. These, as many already know, certainly include the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles, but not only that.
Rare earths can also be used to create very complex and elaborate instruments, such as catalysts for oil refining, chemical catalysts, and high-power magnets. Few people also know that some specific rare earths – such as lutetium or lanthanum – are cleverly used to make very useful instruments, such as magnetic resonance imaging machines and camera lenses.
What is perceived quite widely nowadays is that these resources (as their name suggests) are very difficult to find and that their production is linked solely to some specific nations that seem to hold firm control. There is certainly some truth in these beliefs, but the story may be more complex than it seems. First of all, it must be stated that rare earths are, in fact, not that difficult to find. Any specialist in the sector would be able to procure hundreds of tons of resources containing rare earths for a cost that is certainly not prohibitive. The most complex aspect is linked to their processing, particularly separation, for which specialized systems equipped with cutting-edge mining technologies are necessary. In order to employ these resources in the way desired by the industry, separation is mandatory. The construction of separation plants is very expensive, and the cost to carry out this operation is between 15 and 20 dollars for each single kg. Without this procedure, the effects linked to these resources (such as magnetic ones) would be impossible to obtain.
Despite the great emphasis placed on these precious resources, the turnover relating to them is currently still quite limited, so much so that it does not exceed 10 billion dollars. This phenomenon could be explained by the fact that some industrial applications related to rare earths are very recent. In most cases, they concern technologies still in the development phase (such as those with batteries, for example). If we compare the turnover of rare earths with other resources that have always been used, such as copper or ferrous alloys, this disproportion will be even more evident. We must also keep in mind that scientific research on these particular rare earths is itself very recent, having begun less than a hundred years ago, and that the discovery of possible industrial applications is certainly not over yet.
Among the various nations, the one that has had the opportunity to stand out for the quality and quantity of rare earth production is certainly China. But what is the cause of this undeniable Chinese superiority? First of all, political planning began to dedicate itself to rare earths several decades ahead of the rest of the world, but also the experience gained in the field and the overall quality of the supply chain.
