Rare Earth Elements
topic on 2 shows · 16 statements across 5 episodes
16 statements about Rare Earth Elements, every show
Kann: Rare earth recycling avoids complex separation steps needed in virgin mining
“There are actually 16 rare earth elements that are grouped together. We really only use four of them, actually. Like, we only care about four of them out of the 16. If you're doing mining, virgin mining, you get this, like, basket of all of them, and you have …”
Kann: China's rare earth dominance exceeds other critical mineral sectors
“China dominates rare earths more than basically any other area of critical minerals, which is saying something because China is pretty dominant in a bunch of areas.”
Gariman: Rare earth magnets enable the most efficient electric motors
“When we use Rare earth elements in magnets , we end up with the most strong magnets that we are aware of, or we can produce on our planet. And when we use very strong magnets in electric motors, we end up with highest efficiency in those electric motors.”
Gariman: China refines 90% of rare earths and makes 93% of magnets
“So 90% of rare earth elements now are processed and refined in China. And then they go one step ahead again, and they bring in even more material to China, and they manufacture 93% of magnets in China.”
Gariman: The Chinese government artificially controls rare earth market prices
“And the market price for rare earth elements often is artificially controlled by Chinese government.”
Gariman: China banned rare earth equipment and technology exports in December 2023
“Now, back in December of 2023 they enforced a ban on the export of equipment and technology related to rare earth elements.”
Kann: China recently banned rare earth extraction and separation technology exports
“Supply is a challenge, and it still largely does come from China, which has just recently, actually, a few months ago, instituted a ban on the export of new technologies for extraction and separation of rare earth elements.”
Garaman: Magnet metals are 40% of rare earth volume, 95% of value
“From volume side, the five or six reverse elements that we use in permanent magnet manufacturing accounts for about 40% of reverse elements. So 40% of reverse elements go into magnets. The other 60% Does not. But here's the interesting thing. From dollar value…”
Garaman: Less than 1% of rare earth elements are recycled globally
“Rare earth elements are recycled less than one percent globally. Those are among the least circular metals that we know of out there.”
Garaman: China controls 90% of rare earth processing and 95% of magnets
“The processing is over 90% done in China, and magnet manufacturing over 95% done in China.”
Garaman: Rare earths are a $20B market that unlocks trillions downstream
“Reverse elements on themselves are about, in 2024, twenty billion dollars market. But the downstream or the industry they unlock is in trillions of dollars.”
Garaman: Rare earths avoid recycling because magnets permanently trap into steel slag
“When we recycle end-of-life products magnets being magnetic attach to steel and travel with steel into steel recycling plants, iron recycling plants. And because of the chemistry in the steel recycling plants, rare earth elements report to a phase or chemistry…”
Garaman: Global rare earth recycling rates could eventually reach 40% to 50%
“And I believe rare earth elements also could be recycled at around 40, 45%, 50%.”
Garaman: Cyclic Materials aims to recycle 2% of global rare earths by 2032
“Cyclic materials plan is by 2030, 31, 32, we will be recycling around two percent of the world rare earth elements.”
Palihapitiya: Rare earth extraction grade is the key bottleneck, not scarcity
“Rare earths are not particularly that rare. It's just the question is, you know, which of the 17 rare earth elements at what grade, meaning at what percent concentration does it exist? And then really importantly, at what cost to extract it economically?”