A forward look into the US rare-earth industry; How potential mines can connect to the global REE market


A forward look into the US rare-earth industry; How potential mines can connect to the global REE market

Barakos, G.; Mischo, H.; Gutzmer, J.

It has been nearly eight years since rare-earth elements (REE) became the subject of front-page headlines. It was when the controversial Chinese export policy for these critical commodities was epitomized in a maritime border dispute with Japan in September 2010 that resulted in the big REE crisis and price spike of 2011 (Barakos et al., 2016c; Mancheri, 2015). The world was dismayed, especially in REE-importing countries such as the United States that was, and still is, totally dependent on Chinese production and exports (Barakos et al, 2016c; Kennedy, 2015). The short-lived alarm initiated a treasure hunt by way of exploration for REE deposits all over the world. The continuously growing demand on the one hand, and the Chinese sovereignty of the REE-market on the other, led the rest of the world to explore their own REE resources. In just a few years, more than 400 projects were initiated to explore REE deposits outside of China

Keywords: REE; USA; Mining; Resource Policy

  • Mining Engineering 70(2018)8, 30-37
    ISSN: 00265187

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-27874
Publ.-Id: 27874