TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the energy requirements and global warming potential of the production of rare earth elements
AU - Weng, Zhehan
AU - Haque, Nawshad
AU - Mudd, Gavin M.
AU - Jowitt, Simon M.
PY - 2016/12/15
Y1 - 2016/12/15
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Environmental impacts
KW - Life cycle impact assessment
KW - Mine production
KW - Rare earth elements
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84996600324&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.132
DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.08.132
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84996600324
SN - 0959-6526
VL - 139
SP - 1282
EP - 1297
JO - Journal of Cleaner Production
JF - Journal of Cleaner Production
ER -