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The deposits are in international waters in an area stretching east and west of Hawaii, as well as east of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Rare Earths and Yttrium (ppm) over 1,500 1,000-1,500 700-1,000 400-700 250-400 under 250 Minerals were found in sea mud extracted from depths of 3,500 to 6,000 metres (11,500-20,000 ft) below the ocean surface at 78 locations.
IN MINUTES
Vast deposits of rare earth minerals have been found on the oor of the Pacic Ocean. Just one square kilometer (0.4 square miles) of deposits will be able to provide one-fth of the current global annual consumption.
Rare earths allow for smaller, lighter components, and are now key to making handheld devices such as Apples iPhone.
Cerium sulphate
Rare earths
Asia
Paci c Ocean
Hawaii
North America
Tahiti
Extraction
South America
The sea m rich in h ud tested is esp eavier ra ecially as gadoli re nium, lut earths such and dysp etium, t manufac rosium, used to erbium LED (lighture at-screen T valves, a t-emitting diode Vs, nd hybrid ) cars.
Extracting the deposits requires pumping up material from the ocean oor Using simple acid leaching, 80-90% of rare earths from the mud can be extracted within a few hours.
Australia
Today
China produces over 97% of the world's rare earth supply, mostly in Inner Mongolia. Limited production in India and South Africa.
Up to 1948
Most of the world's rare earths were sourced from placer sand deposits in India and Brazil.
1960s1980s
The Mountain Pass rare earth mine in California was the leading producer.
19481950s
South Africa was the leading supplier.
China
U.S. Other
1970 1980 1990 2000
Made up of 17 non-ferrous metals (no iron) on the periodic table: Symbol Name Use Sc Scandium Space components; mercury-vapour lamps Y Yttrium Lasers; superconductors; microwave lters La Lanthanum Glass; int; hydrogen storage; battery electrodes; camera lenses; uid catalytic cracking Ce Cerium Oxidizing; polishing powder; yellow colour; self-cleaning ovens; uid catalytic cracking Pr Praseodymium Magnets; lasers; carbon arc lighting; colouring; welding goggle glass; int Nd Neodymium Magnets; lasers; violet colour; ceramic capacitors Pm Promethium Nuclear batteries Sm Samarium Magnets; lasers; neutron capture Eu Europium Red and blue phosphors; lasers; mercury-vapour lamps Gd Gadolinium Magnets; glass; lasers; x-ray tubes; RAM; neutron capture Tb Terbium Green phosphors; lasers; uorescent lamps Dy Dysprosium Magnets; lasers Ho Holmium Lasers Er Erbium Lasers; vanadium steel Tm Thulium Portable x-ray machines Yb Ytterbium Lasers; reducing agent Lu Lutetium PET Scan detectors; glass
ANTHONY GREEN/QMI AGENCY
1960