Rare Earth News

Rare earth metals ranked in new 'risk list'

The British Geological Survey has published a list of the relative risks to the supply of some rare earth elements, providing details on the so-called "technology metals," the BBC reports.

The metals listed, such as indium and niobium, are used in many modern digital devices and are essential for green technological improvements, making them a hot commodity for several global industries.

Highlighted in the list are 52 elements that are most at risk from "supply disruption," which includes geopolitics, resource nationalism, accidents and the relatively long period seen between a rare earth deposit discovery and extraction of the metals, according to the BBC.

China is responsible for extracting 50 percent of the elements listed in the chart, but many more locations around the world have the resource deposits, with efficient methods for extracting the metals being developed.

Recent explorations in Quebec have found large carbonatite intrusions at a rare earth sites that covers 2,600 hectares in the Abitibi region, according to a release.

The metals on the list have become so important to everyday life because of society's move toward a low-carbon economy, creating a soaring demand for the products which are used in appliances from hybrid cars to wind-generating turbines.