Application of rare earths in consumer electronics and challenges for recycling

During recent years, technological innovations, especially increasing demand on green technologies, resulted in manifold applications using rare earths which lead to a steep increase in their demand. The high demand and the expected supply shortages, additionally triggered by Chinese export restrictions, lead to a significant increase in rare earth prices. This is also triggered by the fact that currently China produces more than 95% of the global rare earth volumes and has therefore effective control over the rare earth market. This steep increase is not only a burden for manufacturers and consumers. It offers the chance to address the problem of today´s rare earth supply in more depth and to build up a sustainable rare earth economy in all relevant sectors. The low prices in the past led to a significant waste of resources. Until now, there has been almost no recycling of rare earths. The new prices might be a starting point to build up recycling systems for rare earth compounds. Similarly, science and industry are beginning to conduct research and develop options for a substitution of rare earth. In this context, a research project, commissioned by the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament, was carried out by the Oeko-Institut in October 2010. The focus of this project was to develop a European strategy for a sustainable rare earth economy to reduce dependence on import of rare earths from China. This paper provides key findings of this on reserves of rare earths worldwide and evaluates environmental risks and impacts of rare earths during mining and processing. In addition, this paper gives an overview on applications of rare earths and in particular in consumer electronics used in daily entertainment and communications. It further gives estimates on average amounts of rare earth elements applied in certain types of electronics devices. Although some of the estimates have limitations due to data availability and reliability, the per product-figures can serve as- - a first basis for assessing the recycling potential from these product groups. Recycling of rare earths is not developed on an industrial scale yet. This is mostly due to its dissipative use, the tendency of rare earth elements to move into the slag-phase in smelting processes and until recently little economic incentives due to low world market prices. As especially the last point changed tremendously within the last 12 months, general interest in rare earth recycling is increasing. The last section of this contribution summarizes the status quo of activities and research of rare earth recycling. Furthermore, this paper proposes a strategy for developing a rare earth recycling scheme.