Rare Earths Overview
Rare Earths are vital in high-technology developments such as hybrid cars and wind turbines and are of immense strategic importance in a world embracing green technology.
Rare Earths refer to a series of 17 chemically similar metals, consisting of the 15 elements known as the lanthanides, plus yttrium and scandium and are classified into 3 groups;
- Light Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium
- Medium Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium
- Heavy Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium, Yittrium
Of the 3 groups mentioned above the Heavy Rare Earth Group are the most valuable in price per kilo.
Demand
- Global demand forecast to grow at ~ 8 – 11% per annum
- Demand for use in hybrid vehicles, rechargeable batteries, mobile phones, plasma and LCD screens and laptop computers, clean energy production.
Supply
- Whilst overall demand will be met over the next 5 to 10 years, global demand will soon outstrip supply
- China Rare Earth Export Quotas will be play a critical element in the supply chain of Rare Earths outside of China
