Source:Washing machines. Cars. Disk drives -- if those are still a thing. The rare-earth minerals that China is threatening to withhold from the U.S. as a trade war escalates are more present in consumer products and manufacturing than people might think. Here are some of the surprisingly common things they’re used to make:The Gasoline in Your CarOil refineries depend on rare-earth elements as catalysts in units called fluid catalytic crackers. In fact, they’re some of the biggest consumers of the stuff. These FCC units basically “crack” apart oil molecules to make gasoline and diesel.Other en...
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Source:Ars TechnicaThis week, two rare-earth mineral-processing companies announced a new joint-venture whose aim will be to establish a rare-earth ore processing plant in Hondo, Texas.Lynas Corp., an Australian rare-earths processor, and Blue Line Corp., a chemical company which is already based in Texas, agreed to a partnership to 'see that US companies have continued access to rare-earth products by offering a US-based source.'Rare-earths minerals are found in consumer electronics, military equipment, electric vehicles, and wind turbines and solar panels. China sees rare-earths meta...
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2019
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Source:The Australian mining firm Lynas says it will join with Blue Line, a US-based rare earths processor, to develop a rare earths separation facility in Hondo, Texas. The new capacity will help build a supply chain outside of China for the elements, which are used in a number of high-tech manufacturing sectors.The announcement comes in the midst of a US-China trade war that has, so far, omitted rare earths in tit-for-tat tariffs. But a visit this week by Chinese president Xi Jinping to one of the world’s largest suppliers was a reminder to US industry and policy makers that China dominates ...
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2019
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Source:ReutersRising tensions between the United States and China have sparked concerns that Beijing could use its dominant position as a supplier of rare earths for leverage in the trade war between the two global economic powers.WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS USED IN?Rare earths are used in rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid cars, advanced ceramics, computers, DVD players, wind turbines, catalysts in cars and oil refineries, monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, fiber optics, superconductors and glass polishing.Several rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, are critical ...
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2019
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