Assessing the energy requirements and global warming potential of the production of rare earth elements
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2016
Publication Title
Journal of Cleaner Production
Volume
139
First page number:
1282
Last page number:
1297
Abstract
The rare earth elements (REE) play an indispensable role in modern technology, especially in wind turbines, or as phosphors, catalysts, specialty alloys and others. Despite the benefits of REE, there has been minimal research assessing the environmental impacts of REE mining. Here, we present a “cradle to gate” scale life cycle impact assessment for 26 operating and potential REE mining projects, focusing on the gross energy requirement and the global warming impacts of the primary REE production stage. The results suggest that the declining ore grades of REE significantly increase the environmental impact of REE production. On a unit basis (such as GJ/t-metal or kg CO2e/t-metal), REE production causes higher environmental impacts than common metals (e.g. Cu, bauxite, and steel), with the refining stage being responsible for the greatest proportion of these impacts. Changing the REE production configuration could lead to diverse environmental footprints associated with each project. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
Environmental impacts; Life cycle impact assessment; Mine production; Rare earth elements
Language
English
Repository Citation
Weng, Z.,
Haque, N.,
Mudd, G. M.,
Jowitt, S.
(2016).
Assessing the energy requirements and global warming potential of the production of rare earth elements.
Journal of Cleaner Production, 139
1282-1297.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.132