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Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Rare earth elements: China's grip on critical metals and why the world depends on them
India's ambitions in electronics, (EVs), and clean energy may face critical challenges due to its limited domestic production of rare earth elements (REEs), despite holding sizable reserves. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now China continues to dominate the global REE supply chain, controlling over 90 per cent of the world's processing and magnet-making capacity, reported ET. Rare earths, 17 elements with unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties, are essential for a wide range of high-tech and green energy products. From permanent magnets in EV motors and wind turbines to phosphors in LED lights and data storage in MRI machines, these materials are foundational to next-generation technologies. Here's how individual elements are used: Neodymium (Nd): Permanent magnets in motors, headphones, microphones, hard drives, speakers Praseodymium (Pr): Magnets (with Nd), aircraft engines, fibre optic cables Dysprosium (Dy): Improves heat resistance in magnets, used in EV motors, hard drives, earbuds Terbium (Tb): Phosphors for green colour in displays and lighting Samarium (Sm): High-strength magnets for headphones, microwave devices, small motors Europium (Eu): Red phosphors for displays and LED lights Yttrium (Y): Phosphors for LED and CRT displays, laser devices Gadolinium (Gd): Used in data storage and MRI machines Lanthanum (La): Rechargeable batteries, lenses in cameras/smartphones, glass additives Cerium (Ce): Polishing compounds for glass, catalysts, and phosphors Erbium (Er): Optical amplifiers in fibre optic communication Other REEs, Scandium, Holmium, Thulium, Lutetium, Ytterbium, Promethium, are vital in specialised lasers, sensors, electronic devices, and medical imaging systems. According to ET, China alone accounts for nearly 70 per cent of global rare earth mining, with countries like the US (12 per cent), Myanmar (10 per cent), and Australia (8 per cent) following distantly. India, though possessing around 6–7 million metric tonnes of reserves, about 6–7 per cent of the global total, contributes less than 1 per cent to the world's annual output. This creates a major vulnerability for Indian manufacturers. Any disruption or restriction in supply from China could severely impact production lines, especially in EVs, smartphones, and defence systems. As per ET, this gives Beijing immense leverage. While the US has tried building its own capacity in light rare earths like neodymium and cerium, China remains the primary source for most critical elements, including dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
China controls world's rare earth supply chains: What are rare earth elements and why world can't function without them? Explained
India's ambitions in electronics, (EVs), and clean energy may face critical challenges due to its limited domestic production of rare earth elements (REEs), despite holding sizable reserves. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now China continues to dominate the global REE supply chain, controlling over 90 per cent of the world's processing and magnet-making capacity, reported ET. Rare earths, 17 elements with unique magnetic, luminescent, and electrochemical properties, are essential for a wide range of high-tech and green energy products. From permanent magnets in EV motors and wind turbines to phosphors in LED lights and data storage in MRI machines, these materials are foundational to next-generation technologies. Here's how individual elements are used: Neodymium (Nd): Permanent magnets in motors, headphones, microphones, hard drives, speakers Praseodymium (Pr): Magnets (with Nd), aircraft engines, fibre optic cables Dysprosium (Dy): Improves heat resistance in magnets, used in EV motors, hard drives, earbuds Terbium (Tb): Phosphors for green colour in displays and lighting Samarium (Sm): High-strength magnets for headphones, microwave devices, small motors Europium (Eu): Red phosphors for displays and LED lights Yttrium (Y): Phosphors for LED and CRT displays, laser devices Gadolinium (Gd): Used in data storage and MRI machines Lanthanum (La): Rechargeable batteries, lenses in cameras/smartphones, glass additives Cerium (Ce): Polishing compounds for glass, catalysts, and phosphors Erbium (Er): Optical amplifiers in fibre optic communication Other REEs, Scandium, Holmium, Thulium, Lutetium, Ytterbium, Promethium, are vital in specialised lasers, sensors, electronic devices, and medical imaging systems. According to ET, China alone accounts for nearly 70 per cent of global rare earth mining, with countries like the US (12 per cent), Myanmar (10 per cent), and Australia (8 per cent) following distantly. India, though possessing around 6–7 million metric tonnes of reserves, about 6–7 per cent of the global total, contributes less than 1 per cent to the world's annual output. This creates a major vulnerability for Indian manufacturers. Any disruption or restriction in supply from China could severely impact production lines, especially in EVs, smartphones, and defence systems. As per ET, this gives Beijing immense leverage. While the US has tried building its own capacity in light rare earths like neodymium and cerium, China remains the primary source for most critical elements, including dysprosium, terbium, and yttrium.
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Business Standard
19-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Attero to invest ₹100 crore to scale rare earth recycling capacity
E-waste recycling company Attero plans to invest Rs 100 crore to scale up its rare earth recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes from 300 tonnes over the next 12 to 24 months, a top official of the firm said on Thursday. China in April imposed restrictions on exports of rare earth, a critical mineral used in manufacturing of electronic, automobile and other technology products. Attero CEO and Co-Founder Nitin Gupta told PTI that the investment is in line with demand in the market for rare earth magnets, for which industries in India and across the world like electronics, automobile etc are entirely dependent on supplies from China. "With our existing capability and technology leadership, we are ready to scale our REE recycling capacity from 1 to 100 tonnes per day to reach a total of 30,000 tonnes annually and explore further expansion as demand accelerates. We plan to invest Rs 100 crore towards this expansion," he said. The company will focus on extraction of rare earth minerals such as Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), and Dysprosium (Dy) with over 98 per cent efficiency and 99.9 per cent purity. These are essential to key sectors including electric vehicles, wind energy, and consumer electronics. "Attero has consistently advocated for India's self-reliance in critical minerals to reduce dependence on imports and counter China's dominance in rare earth supply chains. "We are proud to be the only Indian company with proven deep-tech and globally patented processes to refine black mass and recover rare earth elements. The current global environment only reinforces the urgency of building domestic infrastructure," Gupta said. The government has launched the National Critical Mineral Mission in January to build a strong foundation for self-reliance in the critical mineral sector. The initiative recognises recycling as a key strategy to secure domestic supply chains and reduce dependence on imports. Gupta said that his company's expansion directly supports the government's National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) aimed at reducing import dependence and promote self-reliance in critical mineral supply chains. According to industry estimates shared by Attero in a note, the global REE market is projected to reach USD 10.9 billion by 2029 at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12.6 per cent, and REE magnets expected to exceed USD 30.3 billion by 2033. Gupta said that Attero holds over 46 global patents, including recent grants in the rare earth space across India and key international markets including Oman , Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE , Bahrain, China and Taiwan. "Attero's patented technology enables the extraction of REEs from e-waste and end-of-life electronics such as hard disk drives, laptops, neckbands, and earphones; components that contain high concentrations of Nd, Pr, Ce, Gd, and Dy. The process is energy-efficient, cost-effective, and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional mining," Gupta said. In the financial year 2025, Attero claims to have processed over 1.5 lakh tonnes of e-waste and 15,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries annually and targeting a Y-o-Y growth of 100 per cent. Attero also has plans to expand its footprint in Europe and the US. The company aims to ramp up its annual e-waste processing to 4,15,000 tonnes and battery recycling to 50,000 tonnes, expanding its global capacity and furthering India's leadership in critical mineral recycling.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Attero to invest ₹100 cr to expand rare earth recycling capacity to 30,000 tonnes
Attero , India's largest e-waste recycling company, has announced plans to scale up its rare earth element (REE) recycling capacity from 300 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes annually over the next 12 to 24 months. The expansion will involve an investment of ₹100 crore and supports the Union government's recently launched National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which aims to reduce import dependence and strengthen domestic supply chains. The announcement assumes significance in the face of curbs imposed by China on exports of rare earth magnets. Rare earth elements such as Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), and Dysprosium (Dy) are vital for sectors including electric mobility, wind energy, and electronics. With the global REE market expected to reach $10.9 billion by 2029 and REE magnets forecasted to exceed $30.3 billion by 2033, India has identified recycling and extraction of these materials as a key strategic priority. Technology-led expansion 'Attero has consistently advocated for India's self-reliance in critical minerals to reduce dependence on imports and counter China's dominance in rare earth supply chains,' said Nitin Gupta, CEO and Co-founder of Attero. 'We are proud to be the only Indian company with proven deep-tech and globally patented processes to refine black mass and recover rare earth elements with over 98 per cent efficiency and 99.9 pe purity. With our existing capability and technology leadership, we are ready to scale our REE recycling capacity from 1 to 100 tonnes per day to reach a total of 30,000 tonnes annually. We plan to invest ₹100 crore towards this expansion,' he added. Attero uses a proprietary process to extract REEs from e-waste and end-of-life electronics such as hard disk drives, laptops, neckbands, and earphones, which contain high concentrations of Nd, Pr, Ce, Gd, and Dy. The company states that the method is more energy-efficient and produces lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional mining processes. In FY25, Attero processed over 150,000 tonnes of e-waste and 15,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries . It targets 100 per cent year-on-year growth and aims to increase e-waste processing capacity to 415,000 tonnes and battery recycling to 50,000 tonnes annually. International patents and global expansion plans Attero holds over 46 patents globally, including recent grants related to rare earth recovery in India, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, China, and Taiwan. These patents support the company's international expansion strategy, with future operations planned in Europe and the United States. The National Critical Mineral Mission recognises recycling as a central strategy to secure critical mineral supply chains. Attero's expanded capabilities align with this policy framework, offering a domestic pathway to reduce reliance on imports and enhance India's position in global critical mineral recovery.
DW
13-06-2025
- Science
- DW
What's the big deal with rare earth elements? – DW – 06/13/2025
What do EVs, fighter jets and digital cameras have in common? Rare earth elements that are wanted everywhere but only sourced in some places. Rare earth elements are a group of 17 chemical elements that play an often small but irreplaceable role in many essential modern technological products. Smartphones, flat-screen TVs, digital cameras and LEDs all rely on them but arguably one of their most important uses is in the making of what are known as permanent magnets. These components can retain their magnetic properties for decades, and because they are so strong, they can be much smaller and lighter than any non-rare-earth alternatives currently available. As a result, they are critical to the construction of electric vehicles and wind turbines. But the uses for rare earth elements, also known as REEs, do not stop there. They are also key to a huge range of defense technologies — from fighter jets to submarines and laser range finders. This strategic importance, both for commerce and defense, is part of what makes them so valuable. Neodymium and praseodymium, the most important REEs for permanent magnets, currently go for around €55 ($62) per kilogram. Terbium can sell for a kilo price of up to €850. Neodymium: The metal driving the energy transition To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Where do they come from? The 17 elements are not as 'rare' as their collective name might imply. In fact, they're very common, with trace amounts being found all over the world. The challenge comes in finding areas with high enough concentrations to make extraction financially viable. Right now, according to US Geological Survey data, 70% of the world's rare earth elements are mined in China, the vast majority coming from the Bayan Obi mine in the country's north. This single source is orders of magnitude larger than the next biggest deposits on the planet — such as Mount Weld in Australia and Kvanefjeld in Greenland — and contains large quantities of all the rare earth elements used to make magnets. Once they're out of the ground, they undergo a highly specialized process of separation and refinement to turn them into usable compounds. This too, largely takes place in China, meaning the country doesn't only provide most of the world's rare earth metals, but most of its magnets too. Rare earth elements are shipped in containers of soil such as here at Lianyungang port in China's Jiangsu province Image: REUTERS This monopoly becomes even more powerful with certain types of the 17 REEs, which are split into three groups: light, medium and heavy, roughly based on their atomic value. The lighter elements are typically less valuable and easier to source, with the magnet ingredients Neodymium and Praseodymium being the exceptions. Between 80-100% of the EU's supply of elements from this group come from China. And for the heavier elements, which are much less abundant and require an even more specialized separation process, Europe sources 100% from China. What happens if China cuts off access? China's monopoly has many Western nations concerned about future access. So in recent years, the US and EU have responded by starting the process of building internal supplies of rare earth elements and other critical materials. In 2024, the EU signed the Critical Raw Materials Act, which sets non-binding targets for the volume of critical materials the EU should produce itself by 2030. It also allows the bloc to designate 'strategic projects,' both within the EU and with close allies such as Norway, as a way of to ensure access to funding, boost public acceptance and fast track approvals and permits. Meanwhile, the US defense department has been investing heavily in domestic companies since 2020 and has set a goal of creating an internal 'mine-to-magnet' supply chain by 2027. The US and EU have both expressed interest in untapped sources of rare earth elements. Ukraine and Greenland have become areas of key interest for US President Donald Trump. Both have very large potential deposits that are currently hard to get to, leaving the future of access to rare earth elements for Western countries uncertain. Edited by: Tamsin Walker
