Rare Earth News

Indian government to step up domestic production of rare earth elements

In the wake of China's decrease in rare earth element exports, countries around the world have begun to explore new possibilities of exporting or mining the highly sought metals. In India, the government has announced plans to increase indigenous production of the elements by giving impetus to exploration and discovery, according to The Economic Times.

Government officials have formed a committee that will research the availability of various forms of rare earth and decide on a production strategy that will guarantee long-term raw material security.

The country plans to expand its rare earth mining operations for the first time since 2004, after demand for the minerals has soared due to their presence in gadgets ranging from superconductors to magnets, according to Ag Metal Miner.

China and India are currently the world's top-exporting countries, but new operations are beginning in several countries.

In Canada, regions of Quebec have shown promising geological studies, with high amounts of yttrium, lanthanum and samarium found beneath the ground. Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife conducted a 13-year study ending in 2009 that found several more forms of rare earth elements as well.