If our goal is to transform this planet from a dinosaur-flesh fueled quagmire into a sustainable, infinite energy powered living machine, then the discovery, careful mining, and delicate processing of REEs must be developed in Canada, the USA, australia etc, as the existing 95-97% reliance on exports from China is neither healthy nor efficient. Rare Earth Elements will continue to be key components of new technology developed and marketed over the coming years and decades, so the sources and distributors need t become far more diversified.
Rare Earth Elements are referred to in a variety of ways that are abbreviated as follows:
RE = rare earth
REM = rare earth metals
REE = rare earth elements
REO = rare earth oxides
LREE = light rare earth elements (La-Sm)
HREE = heavy rare earth elements (Eu-Lu)
Rare Earth Element deposits tend to occur in two ways:
Light rare earth elements (‘LREE’), which include lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), and samarium (Sm)
Heavy rare earth elements (‘HREE’), which are less common and more value, include europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb) and lutetium (Lu)
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are utilized in hybrid cars, renewable energy such as windpower, and in many types of modern electronics, such as cellphones. Examples of Rare Earth Elements in demand include:
Cerium - A major technological application for Cerium(III) oxide is a catalytic converter for the reduction of CO emissions in the exhaust gases from motor vehicles. In particular, cerium oxide is added into Diesel fuels. Another important use of the cerium oxide is a hydrocarbon catalyst in self cleaning ovens, incorporated into oven walls and as a petroleum cracking catalyst in petroleum refining.
Cerium(IV) oxide is considered one of the most efficient agents for precision polishing of optical components. Cerium compounds are also used in the manufacture of glass, both as a component and as a decolorizer. For example, cerium(IV) oxide in combination with titanium(IV) oxide gives a golden yellow color to glass; it also allows for selective absorption of ultraviolet light in glass. Cerium oxide has high refractive index and is added to enamel to make it more opaque.
Cerium oxides, and other cerium compounds, go into catalytic converters and larger-scale equipment to reduce the sulfur oxide emissions. Cerium is a diesel fuel additive for micro-filtration of pollutants, and promotes more complete fuel combustion for more energy efficiency.
Dyprosium – The cost of this metal has risen from under $7 a pound in 2006 to over $130 per pound in 2011! Dysprosium is used, in conjunction with vanadium and other elements, in making laser materials. Because of dysprosium's high thermal neutron absorption cross-section, dysprosium oxide-nickel cermets are used in neutron-absorbing control rods in nuclear reactors. Dysprosium-cadmium chalcogenides are sources of infrared radiation which is useful for studying chemical reactions. Because dysprosium and its compounds are highly susceptible to magnetization, they are employed in various data storage applications, such as in hard disks.
Erbium - A silvery-white solid metal when artificially isolated, natural erbium is always found in chemical combination with other elements on Earth. As such, it is a rare earth element which is associated with several other rare elements in the mineral gadolinite from Ytterby in Sweden.
It is commonly used as a photographic filter, and because of its resilience it is useful as a metallurgical additive. Erbium-doped optical silica-glass fibers are the active element in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs), which are widely used in optical communications.[12] The same fibers can be used to create fiber lasers.
Erbium is also used in a variety of medical applications including laser surgery.
Europium - Europium is not found in nature as a free element, and has no known biological role. It is a by-product of nuclear fission, and is used in television sets, lasers, fluorescent lamps and in medical tests for Down's Syndrome and other genetic illnesses.
Europium's use in fluorescent lighting is significant, as it can reduce power usage by 75% relative to traditional incandescent lighting. In the medical field, europium is used to tag complex biochemical agents, helping to trace these materials during tissue research.
Gadolinium - Used in Rare-earth magnets, high refractive index glass or garnets, lasers, x-ray tubes, computer memories, neutron capture, as MRI contrast agent, and as NMR relaxation agent.
Lanthanum - Generally found in the mineral bastnasite, it is extracted through a method known as solvent extraction. Lanthanum is a strategically important REE due to its activity in catalysts that are critical in petroleum refining. Lanthanum additives, called "cracking-agents", have been estimated to increase refinery yield by as much as 10%, while reducing overall refinery energy consumption.
Lutetium - Named for Lutetia, the ancient city which later became Paris, Lutetium is used in PET Scan detectors, and high refractive index glass.
Neodymium – Used for magnets in hybrid cars including Prius, Insight, LEAF, Focus, pretty much EVERY hybrid car model available. Also used in the Dyson Vacuum's magnets.
Neodymium is a critical component of strong permanent magnets. Cell phones, portable CD players, computers and most modern sound systems would not exist in their current form without using neodymium magnets. Neodymium-Iron- Boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets are essential for miniaturizing a variety of technologies. These magnets maximize the power/cost ratio, and are used in a large variety of motors and mechanical systems.
Praseodymium - This REE comprises only 4% of the lanthanide content of bastnasite, but is used as a common coloring pigment. Along with neodymium, praseodymium is used to filter certain wavelengths of light. So praseodymium finds specific uses in photographic filters, airport signal lenses, welder's glasses, as well as broad uses in ceramic tile and glass (usually yellow). When used in an alloy, praseodymium is a component of permanent magnet systems designed for small motors. Praseodymium also has applications in internal combustion engines, as a catalyst for pollution control.
Samarium - Though classified as a rare earth element, samarium is the 40th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is more common than such metals as tin. Samarium occurs with concentration up to 2.8% in several minerals including cerite, gadolinite, samarskite, monazite and bastnäsite, the last two being the most common commercial sources of the element. These minerals are mostly found in China, the USA, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Australia; China is by far the world leader in samarium mining and production.
One of the most important applications of samarium is in samarium-cobalt magnets, which have a nominal composition of SmCo5 or Sm2Co17. They have high permanent magnetization, which is about 10,000 times that of iron and is second only to that of neodymium magnets. However, samarium-based magnets have higher resistance to demagnetization, as they are stable to temperatures above 700 °C (cf. 300–400 °C for neodymium magnets). These magnets are found in small motors, headphones, high-end magnetic pickups for guitars and related musical instruments.[8] For example, they are used in the motors of a solar-powered electric aircraft Solar Challenger and in the Samarium Cobalt Noiseless electric guitar and bass pickups.
Another important application of samarium and its compounds is as catalyst and chemical reagent. Samarium catalysts assist decomposition of plastics, dechlorination of pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as the dehydration and dehydrogenation of ethanol.[9] Samarium(III) triflate (Sm(OTf)3, that is Sm(CF3SO3)3) is one of the most efficient Lewis acid catalysts for a halogen-promoted Friedel–Crafts reaction with alkenes.[66] Samarium(II) iodide is a very common reducing and coupling agent in organic synthesis, for example in the desulfonylation reactions; annulation; Danishefsky, Kuwajima, Mukaiyama and Holton Taxol total syntheses;strychnine total synthesis; Barbier reaction and other reductions with samarium(II) iodide.
Yttrium - Rare in bastnasite, it is usually recovered from even more obscure minerals and ores. Still, almost every vehicle on the road contains yttriumbased materials that improve the fuel efficiency of the engine. Another important use of yttrium is in microwave communication devices. Yttrium- Iron-Garnets (YIG) are used as resonators in frequency meters, magnetic field measurement devices, tunable transistors and Gunn oscillators. Yttrium goes into laser crystals specific to spectral characteristics for high-performance communication systems.
Yttrium (Y) is most commonly found in association with HREE deposits.
Mining company Lynas Corp. (ASX: LYC) is a producer of rare earth metals that has seen its stock triple over the past year.
Rare Earth Minerals stocks, investing in Rare Earth Elements
Here is a list of publicly-traded Rare Earth Elements stocks:
Alkane Resource Ltd. (ASX:ALK, PK:ALKEF)
Arafura Resources Ltd. (ASX:ARU, PK:ARAFF)
Avalon Rare Metals Inc.(TSX:AVL, AMEX:AVL)
Bolero Resources (TSXV: BRU)
Canadian International Minerals Inc (CVE:CIN)
Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV:CCE)
Cricket Resources Inc. (TSXV:CKV)
Frontier Rare Earths Ltd. (TSX:FRO)
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (TSX.V:GWG, OTCBB:GWMGF)
Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. (ASX:GGG, PK:GDLNF)
Hudson Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:HUD, OTCQX:HUDRF)
IBC Advanced Alloys (TSXV:IB)
International Montorro Resources (TSXV: IMT)
Kirrin Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KYM)
Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSX-V:LMR)
Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX:LYC)
Matamec Explorations Inc. (TSX.V:MAT, PK:MTCEF)
Medallion Resources Ltd (TSX-V: MDL)
Molycorp Inc (NYSE:MCP)
Navigator Resources Ltd. (ASX:NAV)
Pele Mountain Resources (TSX:GEM)
Quantum Rare Earth Developments (TSX.V:QRE)
Quest Minerals(QRM.V)
Rare Element Resources (TSX-V:RES)
Stans Energy Corp. (TSX: V.RUU)
Tasman Metals (TSX: TSM.V)
As of January 2011, here is a list of 17 Rare Earth Elements mining projects (TMR Advanced Rare-Earths Project Index), and the rare earth minerals mining companies that are behind these ventures (list courtesy of Resource Investor – News That Trades)
Bear Lodge (Bull Hill Zone) – Wyoming, USA : Rare Element Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:RES, AMEX:REE)
Cummins Range – Western Australia, Australia : Navigator Resources Ltd. (ASX:NAV)
Dubbo – New South Wales, Australia – Alkane Resource Ltd. (ASX:ALK, PK:ALKEF)
Hoidas Lake – Saskatchewan, Canada : Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (TSX.V:GWG, OTCBB:GWMGF)
Kangankunde – Balaka, Malawi : Lynas Corporation Ltd. (ASX:LYC, PK:LYSCF)
Kutessay II – Chui, Kyrgyzstan : Stans Energy Corp. (TSX.V:RUU)
Kvanefjeld – Kujalleq, Greenland : Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. (ASX:GGG, PK:GDLNF)
Mount Weld – Western Australia, Australia : Lynas Corporation Ltd. (ASX:LYC. PK:LYSCF)
Mountain Pass – California, USA : Molycorp Inc. (NYSE:MCP)
Nechalacho (Thor Lake Basal Zone) – Northwest Territories, Canada : Avalon Rare Metals Inc.(TSX:AVL, AMEX:AVL)
Nolans Bore – Northern Territory, Australia : Arafura Resources Ltd. (ASX:ARU, PK:ARAFF)
Norra Karr – Småland, Sweden : Tasman Metals Ltd. (TSX.V:TSM, PK:TASXF, F:T61)
Sarfartoq (ST1 Zone) – Qaasuitsup, Greenland : Hudson Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:HUD, OTCQX:HUDRF)
Steenkampskraal – Western Cape, South Africa : Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (TSX.V:GWG, OTCBB:GWMGF) & Rare Earth Extraction Co. Ltd.
Strange Lake (B Zone) – Quebec, Canada : Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. (TSX.V:QRM)
Zandkopsdrift – Northern Cape, South Africa : Frontier Rare Earths Ltd. (TSX:FRO)
Zeus (Kipawa) – Quebec, Canada : Matamec Explorations Inc. (TSX.V:MAT, PK:MTCEF)
Member companies of the Bloomberg Rare Earth Mineral Resources Index and their respective weightings:
Company Ticker Symbols Weighting (%)
Molycorp Inc. NYSE:MCP 16.4
Lynas Corporation Ltd. ASX:LYC, PK:LYSCF 15.0
Avalon Rare Metals Inc. TSX:AVL, AMEX:AVL 11.4
Rare Element Resources Ltd. TSX.V:RES, AMEX:REE 11.2
Arafura Resources Ltd. ASX:ARU, PK:ARAFF 10.0
Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. ASX:GGG, PK:GDLNF 6.7
Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. TSX.V:QRM, PK:QSURD 6.3
Frontier Rare Earths Ltd. TSX:FRO 5.9
Alkane Resources Ltd. ASX:ALK, PK:ALKEF 5.0
Tasman Metals Ltd. TSX.V:TSM, PK:TASXF, F:T61 4.6
Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. TSX.V:GWG, OTCBB:GWMGF 4.2
Navigator Resources Limited ASX:NAV 2.1
Matamec Explorations Inc. TSX.V:MAT, PK:MTCEF 1.2
Here is a Rare Earth Elements (REE) Map of United Sates:
Here are some US States that contain rare earth metals deposits:
The map shows locations in the United State of rare earth deposits. (source: USGS.gov) Most have had limited testing.
Note: Thorium, while not a rare earth element, often occurs together with rare earths.
A breakdown of the rare earth metals or possible rare earth metals by location is as follows:
Rare Earth Elements deposits in USA:
Alaska (Bokan Mountain) – Yttrium
Alaska (Salmon Bay) – Thorium
California (Mountain Pass) – Rare earth oxides
California (Music Valley Area) – Yttrium
Colorado (Iron Hill Carbonatite Complex) – Carbonatites, which may contain some rare earth elements.
Colorado (Wet Mountains Area) – Thorium Oxide
Idaho (Diamond Creek) – Ree Oxide and Thorium
Idaho (Hall Mountain) – Thorium
Idaho (Lemhi Pass District/Idaho-Montana) – Thorium (largest concentration in the United States)
Illinois (Hicks Dome) – Rare Earth metals include: Thorium, Yttrium, Cerium, Neodymium, and Dysprosium.
Missouri (Pea Ridge) – Rare earth elements oxides
New Mexico (Capitan Mountains, Red Hills, Gold Hill area & White Signal district, Lemitar & Chupadera mountains, Petaca district) – Thorium
New Mexico (El Porvenir District) – Samples of quartzite contain: Thorium, Lanthanum, & Yttrium.
New Mexico (Gallinas Mountains) – Rare earths oxides and Cerium oxide.
New Mexico (Laughlin Peak) – Yttrium (alongside Thorium) and Cerium.
New Mexico (Wind Mountain/Cornudas Mountains) – Lanthanum, Neodymium, and Yttrium.
New York (Mineville Iron District) – Rare earths oxides from Apatite content.
Wyoming (Bear Lodge Mountains) – REE oxides.
Some other general areas in the US with possible rare earth metals resources:
SE United States – Phosphorite deposits from North Carolina to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain. There is no estimate as of yet for the potential rare earth elements in phosphate deposits. Some analysis has indicated Yttrium and Lanthanum are present.
Placer Deposits
Idaho (Monazite districts in Long Valley, Bear Valley, Boise Basin, Burgdorf-Warren area, & Elk City-Newsome area) – Analyses indicate 63% REE oxides from the Monazites here.
North & South Carolina (Piedmont region) – Rare earth oxides/Thorium
Florida & Georgia (Beach placer deposits) – Rare earth elements oxides/Thorium, hosted in Monazite.
Many Happy Returns in 2011!
(Note of Caution: Investing in individual equity securities is for high risk investors, and junior mining stocks have added speculative risk on top of that. Medium risk investors should seeking exposure to the industry may want to research and invest in resource funds with a significant Rare Earth Elements component, and even then as part of a widely diversified portfolio)
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Sources, wikipedia, dailyreckoning.com.au, windpowerstockstowatch.blogspot.com, Google Finance, Yahoo finance, Bloomberg, StcokWatch
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