Rare Earth Elements (REE)
Use of DAC to Recover REE's from from host ores has been demonstrated on numerous ores from the U.S.A and South America. Target minerals included Basnasite,Xenotime and Monazite, with all showing favorable recovery results when subjected to DAC
WHAT ARE RARE EARTH'S?
Rare Earth Elements are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. Scandium and yttrium are considered rarebearth elements since they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties. While named rare earths, they are in fact not that rare and are
relatively abundant in the Earth's crust. What is unusual is to find them in quantities significant enough to support economic mineral development. The Japanese call them “the seeds of technology.” The US Department of Energy calls them “technology metals.” They make possible the high tech world we live in today – everything from the miniaturization of electronics, to the enabling of green energy and medical technologies, to supporting a myriad of essential telecommunications and defense systems. They are the elements that have become irreplaceable to our world of technology owing to their
unique magnetic, phosphorescent, and catalytic properties.
RARE EARTH SUPPLY & DEMAND
Supply
As the world's largest producer of rare earths, China currently accounts for more than 90 percent of global supply, however international dependence on China's exports of rare earths has started to decline with the commencement in 2013 of non-Chinese production from the USA and Australia/Malaysia. Additional capacity from western supply is expected to contribute to the market in the near future. New developments in Australia, North America and Africa will occur over the next decade but long development lead times will continue to constrain supply for some of the critical rare earths in the future. Total supply through to 2020 is forecast to grow at 5-6% per annum with dependency on China’s continued production and advancement of non-Chinese projects.
Demand
In 2013, global consumption of rare earths (as rare earth oxides REOs) was about 124,000 tonnes which had an approximate value in excess of US$3 billion. China currently represents about 64% of demand for all rare earths, followed by Japan at 14-16%, the USA at 9-10%, the EU at 7-9%, and others at 4%. Global demand is growing strongly for rare earth products in several key markets with expected growth outlook through to 2020 of approximately 6-7% per annum leading to a total market of approximately 180,000 tonnes in 2020.
In particular:
• There is significant forward growth for didymium (mixed neodymium and praseodymium) in modern electric motors and generators;
• Sustainable supply is required for dysprosium to remain important for high temperature magnet applications.
• Cerium demand for glass polishing has declined through re-use, but strong forward growth is anticipated for use in automotive catalysts due to increasing government restrictions on transportation emissions;
• The use of catalytic materials is growing and consumption of petroleum cracking catalysts is driving lanthanum demand.
Rare Earth Growth by Market Sector to 2020
Annual Growth Rate
Magnets 10%
Metal Alloys 6%
Batteries 7%
Catalysts 5%
Polishing 5%
Glass 3%
Phosphors 4%
Ceramics 5%
Other 7%
WHAT ARE RARE EARTH'S?
Rare Earth Elements are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. Scandium and yttrium are considered rarebearth elements since they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties. While named rare earths, they are in fact not that rare and are
relatively abundant in the Earth's crust. What is unusual is to find them in quantities significant enough to support economic mineral development. The Japanese call them “the seeds of technology.” The US Department of Energy calls them “technology metals.” They make possible the high tech world we live in today – everything from the miniaturization of electronics, to the enabling of green energy and medical technologies, to supporting a myriad of essential telecommunications and defense systems. They are the elements that have become irreplaceable to our world of technology owing to their
unique magnetic, phosphorescent, and catalytic properties.
RARE EARTH SUPPLY & DEMAND
Supply
As the world's largest producer of rare earths, China currently accounts for more than 90 percent of global supply, however international dependence on China's exports of rare earths has started to decline with the commencement in 2013 of non-Chinese production from the USA and Australia/Malaysia. Additional capacity from western supply is expected to contribute to the market in the near future. New developments in Australia, North America and Africa will occur over the next decade but long development lead times will continue to constrain supply for some of the critical rare earths in the future. Total supply through to 2020 is forecast to grow at 5-6% per annum with dependency on China’s continued production and advancement of non-Chinese projects.
Demand
In 2013, global consumption of rare earths (as rare earth oxides REOs) was about 124,000 tonnes which had an approximate value in excess of US$3 billion. China currently represents about 64% of demand for all rare earths, followed by Japan at 14-16%, the USA at 9-10%, the EU at 7-9%, and others at 4%. Global demand is growing strongly for rare earth products in several key markets with expected growth outlook through to 2020 of approximately 6-7% per annum leading to a total market of approximately 180,000 tonnes in 2020.
In particular:
• There is significant forward growth for didymium (mixed neodymium and praseodymium) in modern electric motors and generators;
• Sustainable supply is required for dysprosium to remain important for high temperature magnet applications.
• Cerium demand for glass polishing has declined through re-use, but strong forward growth is anticipated for use in automotive catalysts due to increasing government restrictions on transportation emissions;
• The use of catalytic materials is growing and consumption of petroleum cracking catalysts is driving lanthanum demand.
Rare Earth Growth by Market Sector to 2020
Annual Growth Rate
Magnets 10%
Metal Alloys 6%
Batteries 7%
Catalysts 5%
Polishing 5%
Glass 3%
Phosphors 4%
Ceramics 5%
Other 7%
