All Rare Earth Elements Education Resources
Environmental Justice Atlas- ‘Lynas Refinery in Kuantan, Malaysia’
Short case summary of an international environmental campaign against a long-established rare earth refinery in Malaysia based on concerns around ecological and health impacts, particularly related to the company’s dumping of radioactive waste
Environmental Justice Atlas- ‘Rare Earth Mining of Chalco, Yulin, Guangxi, China’
Short case summary of protests which took place in a village in Guanxi, China due to concerns around pollution from a new REE mining project, particularly related to potential impacts on drinking water. Summarises the broader context of REE extraction and environmental impacts in China
Huber and Steininger (2022)- ‘Critical sustainability issues in the production of wind and solar electricity generation as well as storage facilities and possible solutions’
Recent article summarising the supply chain risks associated with critical mineral production, including rare earths, across human rights violations, poor governance and corruption in the mining sector and toxicity, as well as possible regulatory solutions to these problems. Includes a useful table in the introduction highlighting the sustainability/supply chain issues for each of the relevant critical minerals including REEs:
Sustainalytics- ‘Implications of the use of rare-earth elements in the wind energy market’
Summary of the social, environmental and governance impacts of rare earth mining, as well as the geopolitical aspects of REE production:
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)- ‘Green Conflict Minerals: The fuels of conflict in the transition to a low-carbon economy’
Detailed report on the social conflicts and local grievances which may be exacerbated by green mineral extraction. Looks at country cases where governance of the mining sector is ‘weak’, meaning a higher risk of human rights abuses, labour exploitation, social conflicts and environmental damage. Uses the example of REE mining in Baotao, China. Alongside facts and figures, includes an interactive map to highlight country-level measures of fragility and corruption across critical mineral deposits.
Green Biz- ‘Reimagining rare earth elements in a sacrifice zone-free future’
Short article on the environmental degradation caused by rare earth mining in Baotao, China using the concept of ‘sacrifice zones’. It also highlights alternative visions for more sustainable and more just production of REEs, for instance through green chemistry or product re-design.
Carbon Brief- ‘Explainer: These six metals are key to a low-carbon future’
An explainer on the importance of critical minerals to green technological developments necessary for meeting global climate change aims and the challenges posed by potential supply shortages for decarbonisation. Uses images, graphs, videos and makes specific connections between different critical minerals and low-carbon technologies.
Yale School of the Environment- ‘Boom in Mining Rare Earths Poses Mounting Toxic Risks’
Highlights the toxic and radioactive waste generated by REE mining and processing plants using examples from Malaysia, Brazil and China
‘Rare Earth (2021)’
A short film highlighting the environmental impacts caused by REE mining in Baotou, China:
The PRI (Principles of Responsible Investment) Podcast- ‘Rare earth minerals’
A short podcast with Hongqiao Liu from China Water Risk on the environmental sustainability issues with the supply of REEs, including the technology used for the mining process
Science History Institute- ‘Rare Earths: The Hidden Cost to Their Magic’
A podcast on the hidden environmental damage caused by the extraction and processing of REEs and potential scientific solutions to these problems
Kleinman Center for Energy Policy- ‘Rare Earth Elements: A Resource Constraint of the Energy Transition’
An explainer on the growing for REEs as a clean energy solution- including useful graphs such as REE demand by sector- but also the environmental costs of REE mining and policy solutions.
Forbes- ‘A Sustainable Way To Mine Rare Earth Elements From Old Tech Devices: Agromining Explained’
Discussion around agro-mining as a more sustainable and environmentally damaging form of REE extraction.
New Security Beat- ‘As China Adjusts for “True Cost” of Rare Earths, What Does It Mean for Decarbonization?’
A summary article based on the report, ‘Rare Earths: Shades of Grey,’ published by China Water Risk, a Hong Kong non-profit initiative, describing the regulatory plans and clean-up developments in China in response to the environmental and health costs caused by REE mining which are not captured in the current prices of REEs (hence, these are not the true costs).
Harvard International Review- ‘Not So “Green” Technology: The Complicated Legacy of Rare Earth Mining’
A summary article about the negative and health effects of rare earth mining, particularly groundwater contamination and toxic waste, drawing on examples from China.
BBC- The dystopian lake filled by the world’s tech lust
An article (written in a journalistic/immersive style and with various photos of the site) on the environmental costs of rare earth mining in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, one of the industrial centres of rare earth mining production, with a particular focus on the artificial toxic lake in Baotao, created to be a tailings pond.
China Wrestles with the Toxic Aftermath of Rare Earth Mining
An article on the toxic impacts and legacies of rare earth mining in China and the significant challenges and costs of clean-up operations
Rare Earth Magnets and Motors: A European Call for Action
A report produced by European Raw Material Alliance discusses the importance of REE in making vehicles and motors
The Rare Earth Elements by the British Geological Survey
A report produced by the Natural Environmental Research Council of Britain. It talks every aspects of REE, such as chemistry, extraction, trading in the UK
China’s dominance of rare earth metals has left Britain strategically vulnerable
The article discusses the monopoly of China in REE and impacts to the UK