The Rare Earth Elements: Demand, Global Resources, and Challenges for Resourcing Future Generations
The Rare Earth Elements: Demand, Global Resources, and Challenges for Resourcing Future Generations
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DOI：
10.1007/s11053-017-9336-5
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发表时间：
2018-04-01
影响因子：
5.4
通讯作者：
Merriman, David
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Goodenough, Kathryn M.;Wall, Frances;Merriman, David
近年来，稀土元素引起了人们的极大关注，由于中国在其供应链中的主导地位，稀土元素被视为关键金属。尽管稀土元素的富集性已知存在于广泛的环境中，而且是最近勘探的主题，但这一点仍然存在。虽然稀土元素通常被称为一个单独的组，但实际上每个单独的元素都有一组特定的最终用途，因此它们之间的需求是不同的。到2026年的未来需求增长可能主要与NdFeB磁体的使用有关，特别是在混合动力和电动汽车和风力涡轮机中，以及用于通信的掺铒玻璃纤维。预计镧和铈的供应将超过需求。有几种不同类型的天然(原生)稀土资源，包括由高温地质作用形成的资源(碳酸岩、碱性岩、脉状和夕卡岩矿床)和由低温过程形成的资源(砂矿、红土、铝土矿和离子吸附粘土)。在本文中，我们考虑了每种矿床类型中单个稀土元素的平衡以及这种平衡如何与需求相匹配，并研究了与开发这些矿床相关的一些问题。这一评估和概述表明，虽然每种类型的稀土矿床都有不同的优缺点，但轻稀土富集型离子吸附类型似乎最能满足未来的稀土需求。例如，从铝土矿或磷酸盐副产品中生产稀土元素，可能是生产额外稀土元素最快的方法。要在中国之外打造可观的稀土供应链，仍有重大的技术和经济挑战需要克服。
The rare earth elements (REE) have attracted much attention in recent years, being viewed as critical metals because of China's domination of their supply chain. This is despite the fact that REE enrichments are known to exist in a wide range of settings, and have been the subject of much recent exploration. Although the REE are often referred to as a single group, in practice each individual element has a specific set of end-uses, and so demand varies between them. Future demand growth to 2026 is likely to be mainly linked to the use of NdFeB magnets, particularly in hybrid and electric vehicles and wind turbines, and in erbium-doped glass fiber for communications. Supply of lanthanum and cerium is forecast to exceed demand. There are several different types of natural (primary) REE resources, including those formed by high-temperature geological processes (carbonatites, alkaline rocks, vein and skarn deposits) and those formed by low-temperature processes (placers, laterites, bauxites and ion-adsorption clays). In this paper, we consider the balance of the individual REE in each deposit type and how that matches demand, and look at some of the issues associated with developing these deposits. This assessment and overview indicate that while each type of REE deposit has different advantages and disadvantages, light rare earth-enriched ion adsorption types appear to have the best match to future REE needs. Production of REE as by-products from, for example, bauxite or phosphate, is potentially the most rapid way to produce additional REE. There are still significant technical and economic challenges to be overcome to create substantial REE supply chains outside China.