Reshaping heavy rare earth supply chains amidst China's stringent environmental regulations
Wei Chen1,2, Peng Wang2,3, Fanran Meng4
1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Fundamental Research
|April 17, 2025
Summary
China
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Economics
Background:
- China's heavy rare earths (HREs) supply, crucial for sustainable technologies, has dropped 90% in 20 years.
- Global concerns exist regarding China's HREs production quotas, but underlying issues are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate China's terbium supply-demand issues and supply chain bottlenecks.
- To simulate future terbium supply changes and potential mitigation strategies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of China's registered HREs production data from 2007-2018.
- Examination of HREs quota utilization and reasons for supply gaps.
- Simulation of future terbium shortages and the impact of green mining technologies.
Main Results:
- A significant terbium shortage of 3300 metric tons was identified in China by 2018.
- Low HREs quota utilization (25%) indicates production limits are not solely due to quotas.
- Environmental regulations and outdated mining techniques are primary causes for mine closures and supply gaps.
Conclusions:
- Environmental compliance and green mining innovations are critical for addressing HREs supply chain bottlenecks.
- Future terbium shortages are predicted, driven by demand from electric vehicles and wind power.
- Advancing green mining techniques can significantly mitigate future rare earth shortages, shifting focus from geopolitics to sustainable supply.
