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The Rare Earths:
Top Spot for the Bottom of the
Periodic Table
S. R. Trout
October 21, 2013
Outline
• Background
– Personal
– Rare Earths

• Rare Earth Sources
• Rare Earth Applications
– Lighting
– Catalysts
– Magnets

• Recycling
• The Future, Why is it so complicated?
Background
Stops along the way
• Univ. of Pennsylvania
• Companies
–
–
–
–
–

Recoma
Crucible
Hitachi
Magnequench
Molycorp

• Academic
– Metro State University of
Denver
– Marian University
– Alma College
– Ellis University
– Ivy Tech

• Consulting
Rare Earths

Sc
Y
La

Ce

Pr

Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb

Dy Ho

Er

Tm Yb

Lu
Rare Earths
• Ores contain all rare earths except Pm
• The rare earths are chemically very similar
• There is no shortage of ore
– Bastnasite & Monazite are the most common

• Most ores are rich in Ce, La, Nd and Pr
– Not all rare earths are rare in the Earth

• Magnetic, optical, electronic and catalytic properties vary
widely
• The lanthanide contraction
• Producers try to balance supply and demand
– And are rarely successful!
Dilbert, February 28, 2011
Critical Materials Hub
• DOE Program
–
–
–
–

$120 million, 5 years
National Labs
Academe
Industry

• Reduce criticality
Source: DOE Announcement May 2012
Recent RE Metal Prices
Global Rare Earth Production Trends

Source: U.S. Geological Survey
1 km

Bayan Obo mine ,
near Baotou, China
Photo from Google Earth
~1 km

Mountain Pass, CA,
source: Molycorp
Rare Earth Sources
• Active mines
– China
• Baotou
• Ionic Ores

• Mines coming on
stream
– USA
• Mountain Pass, CA

– Australia
• Mt. Weld

• Under Development
– Australia
• Nolan’s Bore

– Canada
• Hoidas Lake
• Nechalacho

–
–
–
–

India
Brazil
Vietnam
Russia
Rare Earths
Bastnasite Ore
Others Nd
2% 12% Pr

6%

Ce
49%

La
31%
Separating the Rare Earths

Source: ORNL
Rare Earth Markets
Ceramics
4%

Others Catalyst Glass
3%
5%
2%

Polishing
4%

Phosphors
31%

Do the markets
change over time?

Metal
Alloys
14%

Magnets
37%

Dollar basis
2008
Source: IMCOA
Early Lighting Options
Welsbach
Candoluminescence

Edison
Incandescence

Source:
Gas Light Guys
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Auer Licht
Lighting Phosphors
Lighting Phosphors
•
•
•
•

Red: Y2O3: Eu
Green: (La, Ce, Tb) PO4
Blue: BaMgAl10O17:Eu
What we see depends
on phosphor quality

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL)

Source: GE Lighting
Fluorescent Lighting
• Advantages
– Higher output
• 58 lu/W vs. 13.5 lu/W

– Lower operating cost
• 10 W vs. 40 W

– Longer life
• 12,000 hrs vs. 1,000 hrs
Data source: GE Lighting

• Disadvantages
– Slightly higher price
– Difficulty dimming
– Unappealing light?
• Cheap bulb = cheap
phosphor

– Hg in bulb, special
disposal preferred
Automotive Catalysts

Source: BASF
Refining Catalysts
• Fluid Cracking Catalyst (FCC)
– Ideal for heavy crude to make gasoline
– Ion-exchanged zeolite (cat litter)
– Variable demand
• Driving season and heating season
• Available crude
Rare Earth Magnets
• Hard drive

Applications

– Voice Coil Motor (VCM)
– Spindle motors
– 5x108 per year

Source: Western Digital
Rare Earth Magnets
Applications
• Automotive
– Hybrids
– Electric vehicles

Source: Toyota
Recycling
• Historically unimportant
– Low value
– Difficulty

• Interest rises and falls with prices
• Center of Resource Recovery and Recycling
– Eu, Tb and Y oxides from lighting phosphors
– Nd and Dy from magnets, mainly hard drives
The Future
• Niels Bohr, “Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.”
• Supply and Demand are dynamic
• Overreacting and underreacting are normal
–
–
–
–

•
•
•
•
•

Supply
Demand
Investors
Government

Finding equilibrium is difficult & takes time
Energy conservation is a major driver
Flexible companies are most likely to survive
Rigid companies are least likely to survive
We need to use these materials wisely
Rare Earths

Sc
Y
La

Ce

Pr

Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb

Dy Ho

Er

Tm Yb

Lu

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The Rare Earths: Top Spot for the Bottom of the Periodic Table

  • 1. The Rare Earths: Top Spot for the Bottom of the Periodic Table S. R. Trout October 21, 2013
  • 2.
  • 3. Outline • Background – Personal – Rare Earths • Rare Earth Sources • Rare Earth Applications – Lighting – Catalysts – Magnets • Recycling • The Future, Why is it so complicated?
  • 4. Background Stops along the way • Univ. of Pennsylvania • Companies – – – – – Recoma Crucible Hitachi Magnequench Molycorp • Academic – Metro State University of Denver – Marian University – Alma College – Ellis University – Ivy Tech • Consulting
  • 5. Rare Earths Sc Y La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
  • 6. Rare Earths • Ores contain all rare earths except Pm • The rare earths are chemically very similar • There is no shortage of ore – Bastnasite & Monazite are the most common • Most ores are rich in Ce, La, Nd and Pr – Not all rare earths are rare in the Earth • Magnetic, optical, electronic and catalytic properties vary widely • The lanthanide contraction • Producers try to balance supply and demand – And are rarely successful!
  • 7.
  • 9. Critical Materials Hub • DOE Program – – – – $120 million, 5 years National Labs Academe Industry • Reduce criticality Source: DOE Announcement May 2012
  • 10. Recent RE Metal Prices
  • 11. Global Rare Earth Production Trends Source: U.S. Geological Survey
  • 12. 1 km Bayan Obo mine , near Baotou, China Photo from Google Earth
  • 13. ~1 km Mountain Pass, CA, source: Molycorp
  • 14. Rare Earth Sources • Active mines – China • Baotou • Ionic Ores • Mines coming on stream – USA • Mountain Pass, CA – Australia • Mt. Weld • Under Development – Australia • Nolan’s Bore – Canada • Hoidas Lake • Nechalacho – – – – India Brazil Vietnam Russia
  • 15. Rare Earths Bastnasite Ore Others Nd 2% 12% Pr 6% Ce 49% La 31%
  • 16. Separating the Rare Earths Source: ORNL
  • 17. Rare Earth Markets Ceramics 4% Others Catalyst Glass 3% 5% 2% Polishing 4% Phosphors 31% Do the markets change over time? Metal Alloys 14% Magnets 37% Dollar basis 2008 Source: IMCOA
  • 20. Lighting Phosphors • • • • Red: Y2O3: Eu Green: (La, Ce, Tb) PO4 Blue: BaMgAl10O17:Eu What we see depends on phosphor quality Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) Source: GE Lighting
  • 21. Fluorescent Lighting • Advantages – Higher output • 58 lu/W vs. 13.5 lu/W – Lower operating cost • 10 W vs. 40 W – Longer life • 12,000 hrs vs. 1,000 hrs Data source: GE Lighting • Disadvantages – Slightly higher price – Difficulty dimming – Unappealing light? • Cheap bulb = cheap phosphor – Hg in bulb, special disposal preferred
  • 23. Refining Catalysts • Fluid Cracking Catalyst (FCC) – Ideal for heavy crude to make gasoline – Ion-exchanged zeolite (cat litter) – Variable demand • Driving season and heating season • Available crude
  • 24. Rare Earth Magnets • Hard drive Applications – Voice Coil Motor (VCM) – Spindle motors – 5x108 per year Source: Western Digital
  • 25. Rare Earth Magnets Applications • Automotive – Hybrids – Electric vehicles Source: Toyota
  • 26. Recycling • Historically unimportant – Low value – Difficulty • Interest rises and falls with prices • Center of Resource Recovery and Recycling – Eu, Tb and Y oxides from lighting phosphors – Nd and Dy from magnets, mainly hard drives
  • 27. The Future • Niels Bohr, “Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future.” • Supply and Demand are dynamic • Overreacting and underreacting are normal – – – – • • • • • Supply Demand Investors Government Finding equilibrium is difficult & takes time Energy conservation is a major driver Flexible companies are most likely to survive Rigid companies are least likely to survive We need to use these materials wisely
  • 28. Rare Earths Sc Y La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu