All Rare Earth Elements Education Resources
The Guardian- ‘Dirty, dangerous and destructive – the elements of a technology boom’
Article summarising the labour exploitation, dangerous working conditions and lack of health & safety protections associated with REE mining (as well as with e-waste disposal):
University of Birmingham- ‘How can we secure a responsible supply of critical materials for the 21st century economy?’
Research being carried out on finding technological solutions to supply chain and sustainability challenges with REE production, notably through the development of technologies to recycle and reuse lithium-ion batteries or alternative kinds of batteries
Toxic News- ‘Rare Earthenware: photography, pottery, and pollution’
On the uneven toxic geographies of REE extraction and processing through the showcasing of a collaborative photography/documentary project (called ‘Rare Earthenware’) to make these issues visible. Uses photos and a short film to show the toxic journey from source to product, including the extraction site, factory and shipping container.
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
Podcast | Where Will We Get the Rare Earth Minerals for Our Electric Cars?
Very interesting 22 mins podcast about REE’s impacts on electric cars
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
Nissan develops new rare-earth recycling process with Waseda University
A video about REE recycling technology development by car industry firm- Nissan.
Recycling rare earths
A general review of REE recycling process- raise the question about existing REE recycling.
Experts call for mandatory recycling of products containing rare metals
An article from the Guardian talks about recycling REE in green technology. It is very helpful in understanding resource management and sustainable production.
AI and the Environment III: Beyond Energy
An article talks about the impact of AI to REE sustainability.
Impact of Materials on Society (IMOS) - Rare Earth Elements
A video introduces REEs from material science and engineering perspective. Although it is an introduction for undergraduate students, it can be useful when learning designing and manufacturing low-carbon technology.
Rare earth elements for smartphones can be extracted from coal waste
An article talks about the potential for extracting REEs from coal waste.
Rare-earth magnet recycling tech wins innovation award
An article discusses new technology to recycle REE and very useful for sustainable production
Dirty, dangerous and destructive – the elements of a technology boom
An article published by the Guardian. It talks about REE process and products, and reminds people the damage that REE product can bring to the earth.