Search results

Rare earth materials

Scientist using magnifier to study rare earth oxides

18/1/2023 News

Europe’s largest rare earths deposit found in Sweden

Europe’s largest known deposit of rare earth oxides, over 1mn tonnes, has been discovered in the Kiruna area of northern Sweden by mining company LKAB. Although reportedly a fraction of the world’s 120mn reserves, the find is being hailed as important as it could help reduce Europe’s dependence on China for what is a key component in electric vehicle batteries and other green technologies such as wind turbines.

Rare earth materials

19/4/2023 News

US plans to build first-of-a-kind critical minerals production facility

The US government is investing $16mn to help develop what will be the country’s first critical minerals production facility in a bid to strengthen the nation’s clean energy supply chain and enhance national security by reducing reliance on imports from countries such as China.

Minerals

17/1/2024 News

Norway gives green light for controversial deepsea mining

Parts of the Norwegian Continental Shelf are to be opened for exploration and production of seabed rare earth minerals that play a vital role in the development of green technologies, including wind turbines and batteries for electric vehicles, as well as PCs and mobile phones, in a move has been decried by environmental groups.

Batteries

27/7/2022 News

Solid state batteries could further boost climate benefits of EVs

Solid state batteries (SSBs) can reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicle (EV) batteries by up to 39%, further increasing EVs’ advantage over fossil fuel vehicles, according to research commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E) from Minviro, a company specialising in raw material life-cycle analysis, which compared emerging solid state technology to current battery chemistries.

Climate change

Close up of yellowed, dead crops in dry, cracked earth

8/5/2024 News

Call for action to safeguard critical minerals needed for net zero and to protect essential food crops

More than 70% of the critical minerals regarded as crucial for the net zero energy transition are at risk from climate disruption. While at the same time, heat stress and droughts are putting much of the world’s staple food crops, including 90% of rice production, at ‘significant risk’, according to PwC.

Rare earth materials

Head and shoulders photo of Peter Keeley Lopez, Senior Process Applications Engineer, Tetronics

29/3/2023 Comment / Peter Keeley Lopez

Powering the energy transition with critical minerals

Demand for critical minerals, fundamental for many renewable technologies, is set to rise considerably over the coming decades, so obtaining these minerals in a fair and sustainable way is crucial for a just transition. Peter Keeley Lopez, Senior Process Applications Engineer at Tetronics, discusses how plasma technology can help.

Rare earth materials

Aerial shot over opencast mining operations

19/7/2023 News

Clean energy demand doubles growth in critical minerals market

Rising demand for clean energy is driving growth in the critical minerals market. However, more work is needed to ensure diversified and sustainable mineral supplies, warns the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Batteries

Satellite view of turquoise salt ponds set against brown earth

EI Member only

26/7/2023 Feature / Jordan Brinn

Building batteries better

Batteries, including those needed for electric vehicles (EVs), are vital for the energy transition; demand for them is only growing. However, this means more mining for minerals – with significant environmental consequences. Jordan Brinn, a clean vehicles and infrastructure advocate at the US Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), explains how we can improve mineral mining and reduce overall demand through reuse and recycling.

Net zero / decarbonisation / energy transition

Onshore wind farm set against grey and cloudy sky

EI Member only

24/5/2023 Feature / Sara Siddeeq

Russia’s critical role in the clean energy transition

The invasion of Ukraine compelled governments to improve energy security by extricating themselves from Russian supplies. But Russia is an entrenched and indispensable player in the global energy sphere and its key materials for the energy transition, including nuclear materials and expertise, will protect its energy superpower status, writes Sara Siddeeq.

Wind

EI Member only

4/12/2024 Feature / Charlie Bush

Circular supply chains for critical minerals in energy technologies

Creating a circular economy would redirect critically rare materials (CRMs) from waste back into energy transition technologies. It would alleviate the pressure on CRM supply chains and scale down the environmental and social repercussions of mining them in the first place, reports Charlie Bush.

New Energy World™

Search results:

Europe’s largest rare earths deposit found in Sweden

US plans to build first-of-a-kind critical minerals production facility

Norway gives green light for controversial deepsea mining

Solid state batteries could further boost climate benefits of EVs

Call for action to safeguard critical minerals needed for net zero and to protect essential food crops

Powering the energy transition with critical minerals

Clean energy demand doubles growth in critical minerals market

Building batteries better

Russia’s critical role in the clean energy transition

Circular supply chains for critical minerals in energy technologies