Rare earth metals are crucial for renewable technologies like electric vehicles and wind turbines. Demand is rising as the world moves away from fossil fuels.
An experimental study recreated conditions in extinct volcanoes that were rich in iron. These iron-rich magmas efficiently absorbed rare earth elements from surrounding magmas.
One such extinct volcano is Kiruna in Sweden, which has been mined for iron ore. It was recently discovered to be a large rare earth resource as well.
The study suggests extinct iron-rich volcanoes globally may concentrate rare earths and could be a good target for exploration. Some existing iron mines may be able to also produce rare earths.
This could mitigate supply risks of rare earths, which currently come from only a few countries. It may also allow reuse of waste from iron mines rather than needing new rare earth mines.
Source: ScienceAlert
