Strictly speaking, the term “rare earths” is incorrect. It’s actually about the rare earth metals – and they’re not really rare either. However, it is undisputed that they are very valuable and important for our modern technology. But why actually?

What are rare earths?

Soft, silver-colored metals are called rare earths. A total of 17 metals are counted as rare earths, including the 14 so-called lanthanides as well as lanthanum, scandium and yttrium. They are extracted from ores and processed into rare earth metals or rare earth oxides. They were first discovered in Sweden in the late 18th century and are found in minerals that are isolated in the form of their oxygen compounds, also known as oxides. These oxides used to be called “earths”, hence the name “rare earths”.

Where are rare earths mined?

Rare earths can actually be found almost everywhere in the world, but usually only in small quantities. The majority of Raw Materials in the EU are imported from China, because that is where most and largest deposits are – and they are also particularly cheap. According to an EU Commission report from 2020, the EU obtained 98 percent of its rare earth requirements from China at the time. However, many countries want to become increasingly independent of China – and are therefore looking for other large deposits worldwide. So far there have been no supply bottlenecks.

According to current knowledge, rare earths are actually rather rare in Germany. A deposit discovered in Storkwitz in Saxony in the 1970s was initially promising. However, in 2015 it was found that the metal content in the ore was far too low – and mining was therefore not economical.

How harmful to the environment is the mining of rare earths?

In principle, every step of extraction has consequences for the environment – from mining and the associated formation of dust to the high greenhouse gas emissions in the refinery, such as the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources informed. The greatest environmental impact arises from the separation of the metals by the so-called solvent extraction. Because this separation process produces radioactive residues containing heavy metals.

What do we need rare earths for?

Rare earths are indispensable raw materials: They are found in numerous electronic devices and are also necessary for the energy transition. Because they are required, for example, for key technologies such as wind turbines and electric motors. Even our everyday devices would not work without them: the element cobalt is necessary for the smartphone battery, neodymium for loudspeakers and europium and terbium for televisions so that they can shine colorfully.

What does the discovery of the largest deposit in Europe mean?

This question still remains open. The Swedish mining company LKAB, which discovered the deposit, calls the find “good news, not only for LKAB, the region and the Swedish people, but also for Europe and the climate.”

However, according to LKAB, the road to possible mining of the metals in Kiruna is long. The first step is to apply for approval before the end of this year. In view of other permitting processes in the industry, it is likely to take at least 10 to 15 years before mining can actually begin and raw materials can be brought to market.

In addition, it is questionable whether mining and exporting in Europe is economically viable. The geoscientist and science editor of the “Südwestrundfunk” Thomas Hillebrandt told the “daily News“: “As long as you need a factor of 100 in production costs compared to importing the whole thing from China – it won’t be worth it for that long. The price will determine the sources from which rare earths are obtained.”

RND/bk with dpa material