Slide 1
Rare Earth Materials
Date: February 24, 2011 To: Columbus Metropolitan Club
Presented By: Kimberly GibsonDirector, EWI Energy Center
Introduction – Importance and Uses of Rare Earth Materials
Slide 2
Rare Earths – What Are They?
15 rather obscure metals, the “lanthanides” plus scandium and yttrium, which have very beneficial magnetic and optical properties when added in small amounts to other materials.
Slide 3
Neodymium (Nd)Neodymium in strong magnets makes possible:
Cell phonesPortable CD playersLaptop hard drives
ABS brakesAir bagsMRIs
Slide 4
Lanthanum (La) and Dysprosium (Dy)
Lanthanum makes rechargeable nickel metal hybrid (NiMH) batteriesfor hybrid vehicles possible.
Dysprosium enables more efficient wind turbine generators and regenerative braking systems for hybrid cars.
Slide 5
Europium (Eu) and Yttrium (Y)
Europium is essential as the red phosphor for plasma color televisions and adds proper color for compact fluorescent bulbs.
Yttrium is used in oxygen sensors to make your car burn fuel efficiently and in microwave satellite communications.
Plasma TVs CFL bulbsOxygen sensors Satellite communications
Slide 7
Wind Turbines
For 1 MW turbine, about 560 lb of neodymium and 31 lb of dysprosiumused in the generator (high strength Nd2Fe14B magnets)
Dysprosium added to Nd2Fe14B magnets to maintain magnetic performance as generator temperature rises in service.
Slide 9
Military Uses - Widespread
Missile guidance systems, lasers, and smart bombs;Sonar and underwater mine detection;Radar and antimissile defense;Laser range finders and targeting, including lasers; andSatellite power and communication systems.
Ultra high strength magnets, actuators, and lasers
Terbium & Dysprosium together as Terfenol-D alloy used extensively in U.S. Defense applications.
Slide 10
DOE Criticality Matrix - 2010Add Text
Ref [1, p. 4]
Continuing concerns for high strength magnets and military uses (Terfenol-D)
Immediate concern for high strength magnets (dysprosium) and military uses (Terfenol-D)
Slide 11
Supply and Demand
Ref [16, p. 80]
2004 - China production was meeting global demand.
2008 – Global demand begins to exceed China production; China demand growing rapidly
2014 – Global demand outpaces China production; China internal demand growing very rapidly
Concern
China restriction of exports and delays in development of other sources may not meet global demand by a large margin
Slide 12
Comparison - U.S. and China RE Ores
Chinese ore richer in key heavy rare earths, dysprosium and terbium.
Slide 13
Global RE ProjectsRef [6, p.74]
• Numerous known rare earth reserves, including heavy rare earths,
• Molycorp and Australian Lynas and Arafura projects closest to coming on-line,
• Infrastructure to bring others on line may require 7-10 years and $500 million to $2.3 billion each. Most in difficult areas to develop.
Slide 14
China Rare Earth Mining
A laborer works at the site of a rare earth metals mine at Nancheng county, Jiangxi province.
Slide 15
WasteOne Ton Rare Earths 9,600-12,000 cubic meters waste gas
Fluorine - 8.5 kgHydrofluoric acidSulfur dioxideSulfuric acid
75 cubic meters acidic wastewater1 ton radioactive waste residue containing water2,000 tons mine tailings, often containing thorium
6-mile-wide lake of toxic waste at Baotou, China, which as been dumped by the rare earth processing plants in the background
Total of 10 million tons wastewater discharged per year, mostly untreated
Slide 16
What Should Be Done?
Consumers Industry
GovernmentPolicies & Labs
Investors
Rare Earth Producers
Nonprofits and Academia
Need an Integrated and Well-Coordinated Approach from All Stakeholders
Strategic National and International Cooperation
Slide 17
What Should Be Done?
Consumers Industry
GovernmentPolicies & Labs
Investors
Rare Earth Producers
Nonprofits and Academia
Need an Integrated and Well-Coordinated Approach from All Stakeholders
Strategic National and International Cooperation
Focused R&D
SubstitutesImproved Production
RecyclingInnovative Materials
Methods to Reduce Use
Best Use of Strategic Resources
Alternative DesignsInnovative ProductsSustainability Focus
Design for Disassembly
Awareness
EducationRecycling
Buy Green/SustainableConcern for National Issues
Self-Reliance
Facilitate Domestic ProductionEnvironmentally Responsible
Efficient Production TechnologyU.S. Government Strategy and Policies
Emphasize IntegrationProvide Economic SupportInternational Coordination
Sustain Effort for Long-TermDrive for Self-Reliance and Jobs Creation