Rare earth elements, critical in smartphones, flat-screen TVs, magnets, and even advanced technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, are in increasing demand globally. They are crucial components in wind turbines, trains, and missiles, among other applications.
Dr. Michael Anenburg of ANU explained that the iron-rich magma solidified within some extinct volcanoes can concentrate rare earth metals up to a hundred times more efficiently than magmas from active volcanoes. "We have never seen an iron-rich magma erupt from an active volcano, but we know some extinct volcanoes, which are millions of years old, had this enigmatic type of eruption," said Dr. Anenburg.
The study highlights that extinct volcanoes, such as El Laco in Chile, could be explored for their potential to yield rare earth elements. The research team simulated volcanic conditions in the lab by melting rocks akin to those from iron-rich extinct volcanoes under extreme heat and pressure, revealing the concentration of rare earth elements in the process.
With the global transition to renewable energy accelerating, the demand for rare earth elements is expected to increase fivefold by 2030. Although rare earth elements are not particularly scarce-comparable in abundance to lead or copper-extracting them from minerals remains a costly and complex task, as Dr. Anenburg noted.
China currently holds the world's largest rare earth element deposit, while Europe's most significant deposit is in Sweden. Australia also possesses notable deposits, including those at Mount Weld in Western Australia and others near Dubbo and Alice Springs. According to Dr. Anenburg, this positions Australia to play a key role in the global shift towards cleaner energy by tapping into its rare earth resources.
The research is published in 'Geochemical Perspectives Letters' and was led by Shengchao Yan from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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