Tag

Rare Earth Elements

All articles tagged with #rare earth elements

defense22 days ago•12 min saved

US Defense Dept. Backing $725M Loan to Onshore Rare Earth Processing for Energy Fuels

The Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital announced a $725 million conditional loan commitment with Energy Fuels, Inc. to scale domestic rare earth processing and midstream metallization, expanding a U.S.-based facility (White Mesa Mill) to bolster the nation’s onshore supply chain for rare earths; the loan is contingent on standard due diligence, with OSC already mobilizing billions in debt financing to bolster the American industrial base and national security.

via U.S. Department of War (.gov)|

#defense #energy-fuels #office-of-strategic-capital

business25 days ago•12 min saved

OSC backs Phoenix Tailings with $500M loan to boost US rare earths

The U.S. Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital announced a $500 million conditional loan commitment with Phoenix Tailings, Inc. to scale domestic processing of rare earth elements, aiming to mobilize about $1 billion with private capital for expanding existing facilities and building a new U.S.-based rare earth separation and metallization facility, strengthening the mine‑to‑magnet supply chain and national defense industrial base; the loan will close after standard due diligence and other conditions are met.

via U.S. Department of War (.gov)|

#business #defense-industrial-base #domestic-supply-chain

science1 month ago•10 min saved

AI-guided route to powerful magnets without rare earths

US researchers at Ames National Laboratory have developed a physics-informed, AI-assisted workflow to discover permanent magnets that do not rely on rare-earth elements, integrating physics-based modeling, high-throughput simulations, and real-world material data to predict performance while considering cost and supply-chain viability, with the aim of reducing dependence on foreign refiners and bridging discovery to scalable production (published in Materials Science and Engineering).

via Interesting Engineering|

#ai #ames-national-laboratory #magnets

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Ancient Subduction Patterns Explain Rare Earth Deposits, Guiding Future Exploration

A two-billion-year pattern shows ancient subduction enriched the mantle with rare earth ingredients, and later melting formed the deposits. This mantle fertilization explains why rare earth deposits cluster where they do and why there is a long time lag between enrichment and mineralization, providing a new framework to guide future exploration of critical metals for modern tech.

via Indian Defence Review|

#carbonatites #mantle-fertilization #plate-tectonics

space2 months ago•4 min saved

Chang'e-5 Moon Samples Uncover Rare-Earth Lunar Minerals

Chinese scientists have identified two previously unknown lunar minerals, magnesiochangesite-(Y) and changesite-(Ce), from Chang'e-5 samples. Both belong to the merrillite group and were officially approved by the International Mineralogical Association, marking a continuation of China’s lunar mineral discoveries. The ultra-rare, micrometer-scale crystals—found in Oceanus Procellarum material and a lunar meteorite—reveal unique crystal structures not seen on Earth and offer new insights into the Moon’s magmatic history and potential rare-earth resources for future in-situ utilization. Scientists used a suite of advanced instruments to confirm the minerals’ composition and structure, underscoring the complexity of lunar soil and its geological diversity.

via Global Times|

#change-5 #lunar #merrillite

science2 months ago•99 min saved

Ancient subduction zones could guide a new hunt for rare earth deposits

A Science Advances study links rare earth element formation to fertilized mantle regions created by fluids released at ancient subduction zones; alkaline and carbonatite magmas hosting these elements cluster above these fertilized mantle zones, and a majority of known deposits lie there, offering a targeted strategy for locating large reserves.

via Live Science|

#alkaline-magmas #carbonatite-magmas #mantle

technology5 months ago•4 min saved

Japan Demonstrates Deep-Sea Mud Mining for Rare Earths, Signals Tech and Policy Hurdles

Japan conducted a deep-sea mining test near Minamitorishima, successfully pumping mud from about 6,000 meters depth rich in rare earth elements, a government-led milestone toward diversifying supply away from China. The test focuses on proving the pumping capability rather than immediate commercial volumes, with plans to scale to hundreds of tons per day in the future, while environmental impacts and international regulatory rules for seabed mining remain contested.

via The New York Times|

#international-seabed-authority #jamstec #minamitorishima

politics5 months ago•14 min saved

US Plans Strategic Reserve to Secure Rare Earths, Cut Dependence on China

The Trump administration is pursuing a U.S. strategic reserve for rare earth elements to reduce dependence on foreign sources and bolster national security by safeguarding minerals crucial for electronics and defense.

via AP News|

#china #national-security #politics

worldbusinesspolitics5 months ago•4 min saved

Trump eyes Greenland's mineral riches in strategic framework

The piece explains that Trump’s Greenland framework is said to include US rights to minerals, as Greenland is believed to host oil and gas and a large share of Europe-listed critical minerals (about 25 of 34), including graphite, niobium and titanium. The move fits a broader US aim to curb China’s rare-earth dominance and secure strategic resources, but mining there faces high costs, harsh weather, limited infrastructure and just two productive mines despite many exploration permits. Melting ice could ease fieldwork and open opportunities, but actual development remains uncertain.

via BBC|

#arctic #critical-minerals #geopolitics

science5 months ago•7 min saved

Greenland's Under-Ice Riches Could Shift the Global Resource Map

Greenland sits on vast, largely under‑ice reserves of critical resources—rare earth elements, other minerals, and substantial hydrocarbons—tied to its complex geologic history. While onshore and sub-ice deposits could reshape the global supply of REEs and energy minerals, exploration is expensive, environmentally sensitive, and tightly regulated, with climate-driven ice melt potentially both opening and complicating access.

via ScienceAlert|

#energy-transition #greenland #mining

world6 months ago•5 min saved

U.S. Eyes Greenland's Rich Resources Amid Environmental Concerns

Greenland's harsh environment, lack of infrastructure, and complex geology make mining rare earth elements difficult, challenging Trump's idea of taking control of the island for resource security, and highlighting geopolitical motives over practical supply solutions.

via AP News|

#arctic #geopolitics #greenland

world6 months ago•5 min saved

Greenland's Resources and Strategic Significance in Focus

Greenland, rich in natural resources including critical raw materials like lithium and rare earth elements, has significant mineral and hydrocarbon potential due to its complex geological history. However, climate change-induced ice melt exposes these resources but complicates sustainable extraction, raising environmental and geopolitical concerns amid increasing interest from countries like the US and Denmark.

via The Conversation|

#climate-change #greenland #hydrocarbons

world11 months ago•9 min saved

China's Dominance in Rare Earth Elements and Global Supply Dynamics

China has established a near-monopoly on refining rare earth elements, crucial for electronics and defense, through decades of strategic control, industry consolidation, and environmental neglect, which has led to global reliance on Chinese supply and recent efforts by the US to develop independent sources.

via NPR|

#china-dominance #mining-industry #rare-earth-elements

business1 year ago•2 min saved

Nvidia Resumes China Shipments Amid Ongoing Trade and Regulatory Challenges

Nvidia plans to restart sales of its H20 AI chip in China, a move linked to ongoing trade discussions involving rare earth elements, which are crucial for technology and heavily mined in China. This decision has sparked debate over export controls and national security, with Nvidia asserting it is only offering China a less advanced chip. The U.S. continues to refine its export policies for AI chips amid broader trade tensions with China.

via TechCrunch|

#ai-chips #business #china

world1 year ago•2 min saved

China-U.S. Trade Deal Boosts Markets and Rare Earth Exports

China and the US have confirmed a trade framework agreement, with the US agreeing to lift restrictions and China to review export applications, signaling a potential easing of trade tensions. The deal follows earlier talks and aims to ensure supply of critical rare earth elements, while China prepares for diplomatic visits to Europe. Shares in global markets rose on signs of improved US-China relations.

via DW|

#china-eu-relations #rare-earth-elements #trade-negotiations