scholarly journals Rare Earth Elements supply vs. clean energy technologies: new problems to be solve

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 29-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baolu Zhou ◽  
Zhongxue Li ◽  
Yiqing Zhao ◽  
Cong Zhang ◽  
Yixin Wei
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Hybrid Electric Vehicles ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Recycling Techniques ◽  
New Strategies

Abstract Rare earth elements (REEs) provide important properties to clean energy technologies such as wind turbine and hybrid electric vehicles. The global REE demand will grow rapidly during the global transformation toward a greener economy in the next decades. This high demand will require a steady supply chain in the long run. China has a monopoly of global REE production and extraction. The global REE supply chain runs the risk of disruption along with Chinese REE policy evolution. To overcome this supply chain vulnerability, new strategies and measures should be adopted to satisfy future REE supply/demand. There is a pressing need to explore REE deposits, develop efficient REE recycling techniques from end-of-life products, improve substitution technologies for REEs, and reduce the number of critical REEs used in devices. Such measures are facing significant challenges due to environmental factors and an unbalanced market, and overcoming them requires efforts from government and REE companies.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Impact of Rare Earth Elements

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Koltun ◽  
A. Tharumarajah
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Representative System

The diverse properties of rare earth elements have seen broad and growing applications in clean energy technologies, hybrid vehicles, pollution control, optics, refrigeration, and so on. This study presents a “cradle-to-gate” life cycle assessment of the energy use, resource depletion, and global warming potential resulting from the production of rare earth elements (REEs) using the Bayan Obo rare earth operation in Inner Mongolia, China, as a representative system. The study aggregates data from the literature, LCI databases, and reasonable estimations. A novel economic value-based allocation method for the multiple coproducts of the process is proposed. It is found that four of the high priced REEs scandium, europium, terbium, and dysprosium have very high GWPs from production relative to the rest. A mass-based allocation is also provided for comparison. Impacts on immediate local environment from waste streams that can be toxic are not included in this study.

scholarly journals Sustainability of emerging energy and transportation technologies is impacted by the coexistence of minerals in nature

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayman Elshkaki
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Material Efficiency ◽  
Global Dynamic ◽  
Reduce Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent

AbstractWind power and electric vehicles can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality. However, these technologies rely on rare metals whose extraction requires large amounts of energy and water and are high in carbon emissions. Here we consider the sustainability of both technologies and the impacts of rare earth elements co-extraction. We use a global dynamic material flow-stock model and several scenarios for rare earth elements demand and supply. Cumulative carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with rare earth metals oversupply was between 5.5 and 6.4 times the emissions associated with dysprosium and neodymium production when dysprosium demand was increased. Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with metals extraction and production were equivalent to between 10% and 29% of carbon dioxide emissions reduction through electric vehicle use. Targeting metal rich deposits and increased material efficiency and recycling reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 78%, 39% and 35%, and combined by 90%. Our findings highlight the role of resource efficiency and recycling in enhancing clean energy technologies.

Review of rare earth elements recovery from secondary resources for clean energy technologies: Grand opportunities to create wealth from waste

2020 ◽  
Vol 267 ◽  
pp. 122048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh Kumar Jyothi ◽  
Thriveni Thenepalli ◽  
Ji Whan Ahn ◽  
Pankaj Kumar Parhi ◽  
Kyeong Woo Chung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Secondary Resources ◽  
Energy Technologies

scholarly journals Magnetic Gears and Magnetically Geared Machines with Reduced Rare-Earth Elements for Vehicle Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Ali Al-Qarni ◽  
Ayman EL-Refaie
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Permanent Magnet ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Electrical Machines ◽  
Mechanical Structure ◽  
Physical Isolation ◽  
Rotational Components ◽  
Rare Earth Content

This paper covers a new emerging class of electrical machines, namely, Magnetic Gears (MGs) and Magnetically Geared Machines (MGMs). This particular kind of gears/machines is capable of either scaling up or down the revolutions-per-minute to meet various load profiles as in the case of mechanical gearboxes, but with physical isolation between the rotating components. This physical isolation between the rotational components leads to several advantages in favor of MGs and MGMs over mechanical gearboxes. Although MGs and MGMs can potentially provide a solution for some of the practical issues of mechanical gears, MGs and MGMs have two major challenges that researchers have been trying to address. Those challenges are the high usage of rare-earth Permanent Magnet (PM) materials and the relatively complex mechanical structure of MGs and MGMs, both of which are a consequence of the multi-airgap design. This paper presents designs that reduce the PM rare-earth content for Electric Vehicles (EVs). Additionally, the paper will ensure having practical designs that do not run the risk of permanent demagnetization. The paper will also discuss some new designs to simplify the mechanical structure.

scholarly journals Possibilities of recovery and separation of rare earth elements

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Dominika Fila
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Rare Earth Elements ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Oil Refining ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Low Emission ◽  
Market Situation ◽  
Critical Mineral

Rare earth metals are a group of elements widely used in high technology products. They are included in the group of critical mineral resources for the EU economy. Rare earth elements are found in computers and mobile phones, as well as in low-emission energy technologies. They are also applied in chemical processes as catalysts in the oil refining. Some of them occur even in considerable quantities in the earth's crust but not very often in the concentrations justifying the profitability of their extraction. Additionally, the constantly growing demand and the current market situation cause that alternative resources of rare earth elements recovery are sought after. Therefore, the recovery and separation methods as well as recovery from the secondary sources are becoming more and more important. The following paper presents the possibilities of recovery and separation of rare earth elements from primary and secondary sources.

scholarly journals Upscaling of Permanent Magnet Dismantling and Recycling through VALOMAG Project

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Fernando Coelho ◽  
Shoshan Abrahami ◽  
Yongxiang Yang ◽  
Benjamin Sprecher ◽  
Zhijie Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rare Earth ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Permanent Magnets ◽  
Process Integration ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Technical Solution ◽  
Short Loop

Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) based permanent magnets are indispensable in today’s technology-driven society. Moreover, their use is likely to increase since they are key in clean energy applications such as wind turbines, hybrid/electric vehicles, and electric bikes. They contain critical raw materials as rare earth elements are used. Indeed, permanent magnets are considered strategic materials by the EU, and their recycling represents a potential secondary supply to decrease the import dependence. The VALOMAG project is developing a technical solution to recover rare earth (RE) based permanent magnets by dismantling end-of-life (EoL) products such as computer hard disc drives, electric motors, and generators from electric vehicles and wind turbines. It also assesses two short loop recycling technologies: Hydrogen Decrepitation (HD) or Hydrogenation–Disproportionation–Desorption–Recombination (HDDR) and strip-casting for high and medium quality magnet wastes; and hydrometallurgical processes for EoL low-quality magnets. Moreover, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Process Integration with a Flowsheet simulation tool will integrate the whole recycling value chain (collection, dismantling, physical and chemical treatment options, and re-manufacturing) and assess the environmental impact and processes efficiency. A market study on the types and expected future quantities for the scrap magnets and the characterisation of the EoL magnets from hard disc drives (HDD) will be presented as preliminary results. Pre-treatment and sorting of 2.5 tons of NdFeB magnets scraps were carried out, and the two short loop recycling routes and the hydrometallurgical route are under investigation at the lab and pilot scale. The results will be used to develop a process integration and to assess the three routes through LCA.

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