How recycling could help power America's rare earth future

Achieving Rare Earth Supply Chain Security Through Recycling00:02

To achieve supply chain security, avoid opening dozens of new rare earth mines. Achieve rare earth and other critical mineral supply chain security by cleaning up existing waste.

Rare earths are a group of 17 metallic elements essential for modern technologies: smartphones, laptops, wind turbines, fighter jets. They make super strong magnets, amplify fiber optics and lasers, speed up chemical reactions.

Rare earth elements aren't scarce, but rich concentrations that are easy to mine and process are hard to find. China has a near monopoly on the industry.

Instead of mining, reuse what's already been extracted.

The good news with rare earth elements and rare earth supply security is that currently less than 1% of the rare earths that we consume are recycled. For decades, rare earth mines around the world, including in the United States, have been accumulating rare earth elements just in a big pile that's right there on site. And those could be accessed much more readily, much more easily than digging a new hole in the ground or opening a new mine.

Julie Clinger on Recycling Existing Waste01:31

Julie Clinger, professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin Madison and rare earth expert, has visited mines worldwide and written extensively on the subject.

Recycle what's already here. Clean up existing waste sites that have been longstanding environmental problems. Build supply chain security for rare earths and other critical minerals important to every technology, without China dependence.