Although there has been a lot of attention in the media recently, Rob Bell, Team leader for Process Commercialisation at BDI member , believes that we are not in danger of running out, if we act to utilise our resources more effectively. In truth these materials are not as rare as some believe and are fairly widely, if thinly, distributed across the globe.
Does that mean we can all relax and blame the media for another storm in a tea cup? Well, the short answer is no.
‘Rare earths’, also known in some instances as ‘rare metals’, are a group of chemically similar elements crucial to many of the hi-tech products that have become essential to much of our modern world.
Despite their name, these may well be more abundant than gold, platinum, iridium and osmium - but it is the low concentration and difficulty in extraction that give them their deserved rare status. However, unlike many metals, the rare earths are not found in rich seems and even at their most concentrated only make up 100-200ppm of the metal bearing ores. This means shifting and processing a lot of rock to make anything useful.
Why should we care?
The simple answer is money.
Rare earths appear as vital components in hard drives, television screens, batteries, X-ray and MRI scanners, magnets, electric motors and a range of chemical processing systems - to name but a few. The unique chemical and physical properties of these materials make them irreplaceable in many of these applications and over the past four years costs have peaked at more than 10 times the long term average.
What’s the problem?
China has 97% of the world’s production of Rare Earth Elements (REEs), however they are only willing to export a small percentage of their production for the international - somewhere in the region of 10-15K tonnes per year. This quota has been dropping in the past few years and with the tightening of rules on the ownership of the mines, the state is starting to squeeze the previously very grey market exports, usually disguised as steels or other ore bodies.
So what can we do about this?
Well this situation is not going to stop us buying goods containing REEs. China has a distinct advantage in that it can attract much of the world’s manufacture due to its abundant supply of raw materials at a reduced cost. By comparison, the EU has a relatively small manufacturing base, for the most part using the raw materials in very specific and often critical applications.
However, one advantage of being a western economy is that over the years we have searched the world for gadgets and equipment to satisfy our craving for the latest high capacity hard drive, slim-line mobile phones or hybrid vehicles. In our consumer driven daze we have unwittingly built up a significant stockpile of critical materials that more than matches our current demands for rare earth elements.
So where is this stockpile?
It is in the lofts, bottom drawers and the backs of cupboards in every home across the European continent or in landfill sites. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that we recycle only 15-20% of our e-waste: the rest goes directly into and incinerators.
On a global scale, an estimated 50 million tons of e-waste is produced each year. The USA discards 30 million computers each year and 100 million phones are disposed of in each year.
That poses the next question.
How do we make the most of the opportunity?
Today the electronic business is a large and rapidly consolidating business in all areas of the developed world. Obsolete computers or other electronics are a valuable source for secondary raw materials, if we dismantle them in a manner that allows for the safe extraction of the constituent materials for reuse in other . Audio-visual components, televisions, VCRs, stereo equipment, mobile phones, other handheld devices and computer components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold.
At C-Tech we are currently developing methods to extract these materials from the waste as it passes through the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) reprocessing centres, combining our expertise in chemistry, materials and to develop a range of specific techniques to target a few more of these valuable little gems before they slip through our grasp, and return them into the manufacturing process.
Contact: Rob Bell, Team Leader for Process Commercialisation, C-Tech Innovation
+44 (0)151 347 2900, ,
Illustrated selections of BDI’s news stories and events are emailed direct to subscribers. For a free subscription, send a blank email with “Subscribe to BDI Broadcasts” in the subject line to