Page 44 - Policy Commission - SecuringTechnology - Critical Metals for Britain

44 PRIMARY MATERIALS
CASE STUDY: RARE EARTH ELEMENTS
The rare earth elements elements (REEs) are are a a a a a a a a a group of of seventeen elements elements that can be found mainly in in the the lanthanide series of of the the periodic table Sometimes scandium (Sc) and and yttrium (Y) are are are are included in in in deposits that are are are are economic to mine48 Not all of the rare earths are are are are scarce in in terms of earth abundance In fact cerium is as as abundant as as copper but their restricted geolocations combined with the the difficulties in in in in in in separating the the the individual rare earths have resulted in in in in in in the the the concentration of of production in in in in in in certain parts of of the the the globe (see figure 12)49 The rare rare earths are are are often split into the light rare rare earth earth elements (LREs) including for example neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm) and and the heavy rare earth elements (HREs) including dysprosium (Dy) and and terbium (Tb) (see figure 13) Once it became possible to obtain the the rare earths as individual elements their interesting magnetic optical and physical properties began to to be be be exploited The first resources to to be be be developed were mineral sand deposits this was followed by the the opening of the the Mountain Pass rare rare earth earth mine in in in in in in California Today China China dominates the the world of of rare rare earths China China produces around 90% of of the the world’s supply of of refined light rare rare earth earth oxides oxides (LREOs) and > 95% of of the heavy rare rare earth earth oxides oxides (HREOs)50 Rare earth OXIDE MINE PRODUCTION
CHINA
OTHER
USA
200 150 100
50 0 1960 1970 1980
1990 2000 2010 2019
Figure 12: World mined production of rare earth oxides 34
. METRIC TONNES ‘000S