A more sustainable way to grow rare earth The technology has been developed by China to reduce mining time, energy usage and limit waste. researcher.
This new method, based on electric fields, achieved an “unprecedented” rare earth recovery rate of 95%, while reducing mining time by 70% and achieving power savings of 60%.
According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the method also showed a 95 percent reduction in ammonia emissions compared to traditional methods derived from leaching agents used in mines (CAS).
“Rare earth elements (REEs), especially heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), are key elements that enable a rapid transition to a decarbonized world,” a team from CAS Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry wrote in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Sustainability. This is stated in an article published in “. January 6th.
Rare earth metals such as cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium are used in a variety of low-carbon technologies, such as the production of magnets. wind turbinecatalytic converters and batteries.
Despite the important role of rare earth metals in the development of low-carbon technologies, their supplies are limited due to the “disastrous” environmental record associated with their mining.
