Resource World Magazine

18 www.resourceworld.com J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 8 U nless you happen to work in the rare earths industry, you probably don't even think about these 17 rare earth metals – even though you reap their benefits every day and the military needs them to protect us. This became clear at the annual Argus Specialty Metals Week Conference held at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Henderson, Nevada, about 45 minutes east of downtown Las Vegas. Like last year, the people at Argus Media Inc. assembled a group of experts to discuss rare earths and provided networking opportunities for the delegates. The over-riding theme of the conference was the dominance of China and how it controls the rare earths market start to fin - ish. China also has most of the world's rare earths reserves – about 40% – followed by Brazil and Vietnam each with about 18%, Russia with about 15% and India, Australia and the US with 1%–6% of reserves. While there is a relative abundance of Light Rare Earths Elements (REEs) with world reserves of cerium (+30Mt), lan - thanum (+20Mt) and neodymium (15Mt), Heavy Rare Earths Elements (HREEs) are less abundant but still not that rare; for example, dysprosium (~4Mt). According to speaker Mark Seddon, Senior Manager (Metals), Argus Consulting Services, in London, mineable resources are more the issue. So why are rare earths so necessary? Take a look at the illustration from Ford that shows all the rare earths used in a car. Rare earths are also used to make glass, magnets for motors, speakers, alterna - tors, generators, battery alloys, refinery catalysts, phosphors, ceramics, catalytic converters and military applications such as missile guidance systems, laser range finders and night vision goggles. Besides the many neodymium magnets to operate the electric motors in your car, modern stereo systems, PA systems and gui - tar amplifiers use neodymium for speaker magnets. At the Argus Conference, speaker Suzanne Malden, Global Commodity Manager for Bose Corp., pointed out that her company uses NdFeB magnets in their speakers. She noted that neodymium speak- ers are a very competitive business with new manufacturers arriving, in particular, RARE EARTHS REPORT by Ellsworth Dickson LEFT: Danny Dzeylion, field assistant, using a rock saw to take a channel sample at Appia Energy's Alces Lake Project in northern Saskatchewan. Photos courtesy Appia Energy Corp. BOTTOM: Sample from from the Danny Zone at Alces Lake. Estimated 22% monazite in this rock, which is part of a larger outcrop, returned ~12 wt% TREO which includes ~3.1 wt% critical REOs. RARE EARTHS

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