Bacteria may be key to sustainably extracting rare earth elements for tech
Rare earth elements from ore are vital for modern life but refining them after mining is costly, harms the environment and mostly occurs abroad.
Rare earth elements from ore are vital for modern life but refining them after mining is costly, harms the environment and mostly occurs abroad.
Materials Science
Nov 18, 2021
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(Phys.org) —A new discovery by researchers from the University of Notre Dame's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences could change prevailing assumptions about the chemical makeup of the Earth's ...
Earth Sciences
Nov 12, 2013
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The discovery of potentially millions of tons of valuable "rare earth" elements in sea sludge off Japan has raised hopes that Asia's number-two economy can reduce its dependence on Chinese supply.
Energy & Green Tech
Apr 15, 2018
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44
There is a conundrum around rare earth elements (REE). They play a key role in clean energy, as they are vital to the production of lightweight, efficient batteries and essential components in wind turbines. Conversely, conventional ...
Materials Science
Aug 10, 2023
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62
Scientists have uncovered the properties of a rare earth element that was first discovered 80 years ago at the very same laboratory, opening a new pathway for the exploration of elements critical in modern technology, from ...
Analytical Chemistry
May 22, 2024
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The first mining experiments conducted in space could pave the way for new technologies to help humans explore and establish settlements on distant worlds, a study suggests.
Space Exploration
Nov 10, 2020
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416
Global demand for the increasingly important "rare earth" minerals that power a range of digital products could outstrip supply by next year as dominant producer China slashes exports, analysts warn.
Business
Nov 17, 2010
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University of Alberta scientists have uncovered the formation mechanism behind a class of mineral deposits that have been hotly contested until now. The findings shed new light on how iron deposits, among others, form—and ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 23, 2020
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122
Inside smartphones and computer displays are metals known as the rare earths. Mining and purifying these metals involves waste- and energy-intense processes. Better processes are needed. Previous work has shown that specific ...
Materials Science
Oct 18, 2018
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113
Rare earth elements are the "secret sauce" of numerous advanced materials for energy, transportation, defense and communications applications. Their largest use for clean energy is in permanent magnets, which retain magnetic ...
Analytical Chemistry
Aug 14, 2019
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