Supplies of rare-earth materials, mined mostly in China and used in a handful of clean-energy products, could be cut off or disrupted in future years, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
Five rare-earth materials that are used to build electric vehicles, energy-efficient lighting, solar panels and wind turbines "are at risk of supply disruptions," David Sandalow, assistant secretary for policy and international affairs at the U.S. Energy Department, said Wednesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies....Dr. Hazlett had sent me the DOE report yesterday, it's a honkin' huge PDF (171 pages) via The Hill.
...A material known as dysprosium, used in magnets for wind turbines and electric vehicles, is particularly important to the clean-technology sector. Supplies of dysprosium are also among the most threatened, the Energy Department said....MORE
If you remember the Nov. 8 post "Rare Earths: What's in Your Mine? (MCP; REE; RES.tsxv; AVL.TO)", all rare earth mines are not alike: Molycorp's Mountain Pass mine is lower down on the value scale than some of the Canadian deposits.
