Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/1012424
A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 www.resourceworld.com 19 ing and the laying of the tracks. The PRC approved the use the blasted rocks for REE mining with no need for a license, just the following of environmental protection reg- ulations. However, there are not enough REE deposits producing REE concentrates over the past three years. Legal producers have a good track record for environmental protection, but not those involved in ille- gal mining. The recent government crackdown on illegal mining curtailed REE supply since there is a production shortage in legal mines. "Last year, from January to July, because of the crackdown, prices increased. But now there is a stable price to meet demand due to imports, recycling and other sources such as railway con- struction in the south," said Chen. Valparaiso, Indiana-based Alliance LLC helps customers with their magnetic designs and the procurement of product from manufacturers around the world, but predominantly those in China. They are affected by REE supply and pricing. Bob Wolf, spokesperson for Alliance, com- mented, "Better environmental controls are a good thing for Planet Earth; however, we must all be willing to face the resulting cost impact required to be environmen- tally friendly." Light REEs of praseodymium (Pr) and neodymium (Nd) are mostly used for permanent magnets for end products: ele- vators, wind turbines, electric vehicles and speakers. Hybrid vehicles require 4,900 grams of Nd and gas vehicles require about 450 grams of which 350 grams are NdFeB magnets, according to Wolf's presentation at the Argus Specialty Metals Week con- ference in Las Vegas last April. A reliable supply at reasonable prices is critical to many industries. "Considering only magnets, the main industries would be automotive, since there are over 200 magnets in your car and more if it is an electric vehicle, and the motor market which produce motors for various industries. These two cascade down to all varieties of smaller markets," said Wolf in a recent interview with Resource World magazine. Although magnets account for 47% of rare earth uses, others are impor- tant to many industries. These include manufacturers using lanthanum for bat- tery-electrodes, camera lenses and fluid catalytic cracking catalyst for oil refiners. The defense industry relies on rare earths for next generation technologies such as yttrium and europium for lasers and lan- thanum for radar and night-vision goggles. Personal electronics such as smart phones need europium and lanthanum for screens and circuitry. LED lights, pigments and TV screens also need rare earths among many other applications. China is allowing imports of REE to fill the shortage caused by closing illegal mines and the crackdown due to environ- mental concerns. Myanmar is one source with the same type of REE as in south China, but there are security concerns; Resource World Contributing Writer Robert L. Wallack with Dr. Chen Zhan Heng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Association of China Rare Earth Industry (ACREI). Photo courtesy Robert Wallack. RARE EARTHS