Syllabus: GS-II
Subject: Geography
Topic: Resources – World and India (Metals)
Issue: Rare Earth Metals.
Context: Unused rare earths in old devices can meet 40% of demand by 2050, vital for clean energy; recycling eases mining and pollution.
Synopsis:
- Critical for clean energy: electric vehicles, wind turbines.
- Renewable energy allows recovering rare earths for reuse.
- Modeling shows potential 60-67% reduction in mining by 2050.
Challenges:
- Extracting rare earths, hazardous methods, and lack of collection systems.
- Rare earths in electronic devices are often overlooked.
Way Forward:
- Recycling old electronics for rare earths eco-friendly recycling techniques, like microbial extraction can alleviate supply chain vulnerability, pollution, and geopolitical risks, contributing to sustainable energy.
Prelims Top of Form
A few(Facts To know )
| Rare Earth Elements(REE) comprise 17 metals, including lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium.
Despite abundance, extraction challenges earn them the “rare” label.
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