Will rare earth elements power our clean energy future?

Written by Gavin Mudd

Four times Australia’s GDP could be hiding in here. AAP

Rare earth elements (REEs), for so long ignored by big mining companies, have recently become incredibly popular. But, contrary to what their names suggests, they are not particularly rare. They do, however, pose challenges for the companies now rushing to find and extract them.

The sudden demand for REEs comes from the important part they play in modern technology. They are crucial to much environmental technology like wind turbines and fuel cells.

They help make electronic parts smaller and faster, magnets more powerful, metal alloys stronger and flat screen TV pictures brighter.

They are important for industrial processes: they make chemical reactions faster and pollution control work better.

In short, they are extremely useful and more uses are being discovered all the time.

Read the full article at The Conversation