Search-mkJan 13, 2023
Kees van der Leun
Sweden's LKAB finds Europe's biggest deposit of rare earth metals. Rare earth elements are currently not mined in Europe, leaving the region depending on imports. Could take 10-15 years to start mining. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/swedens-lkab-finds-europes-biggest-deposit-rare-earth-metals-2023-01-12/
Sweden's LKAB finds Europe's biggest deposit of rare earth metals

Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB on Thursday said it had identified more than 1 million tonnes of rare earth oxides in the Kiruna area in the far north of the country, the largest known such deposit in Europe.

Reuters
Jan 12, 2023 at 9:30pmWeb
Show threadSellaTheChemistJan 12, 2023
@Sustainable2050 And who is going to refine them?
Show threadKees van der LeunJan 12, 2023
@sellathechemist "So we also need to focus on the entire value chain on these metals, products like high efficiency magnets that we want to use for wind turbines or traction engines in EVs and so on," Jonsson said.
Show threadSellaTheChemistJan 12, 2023
@Sustainable2050 Well guess what? I missed the last paragraph because of that ad! 😜 But I guess my point is that we often equate mining with elemental availability. Without separation and refining capacity we go nowhere. And in the decade since the "rare earth crisis" we've found alternatives and ways to reduce use in particular applications, but we've also shrugged and gone with China's policy
 Another place where diversifying is really critical.
Show threadAndreas NilssonJan 13, 2023
@sellathechemist @Sustainable2050 norwegian company REEtec. LKAB recently became a majority shareholder in that firm. I’ve only seen news in Swedish about this, but maybe google translate can help? https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/norrbotten/lkab-satsar-pa-fabrik-i-norge-ska-foradla-sallsynta-jordartsmetaller
LKAB satsar pĂ„ fabrik i Norge – ska förĂ€dla sĂ€llsynta jordartsmetaller

LKAB har klart med hur man ska fÄ fram de sÀllsynta jordartsmetaller som ska kunna minska importen frÄn Kina. Lösningen blir en satsning pÄ en fabrik i Norge dÀr slutförÀdlingen ska ske.

SVT Nyheter
Show threadCornelius TraasJan 12, 2023
@Sustainable2050 Did you know that rare earth elements aren't really rare at all?
Show threadKees van der LeunJan 12, 2023
@theapplefarmer Yes
Show threadCornelius TraasJan 12, 2023
@Sustainable2050 I would not have doubted that you knew. Nonetheless, it's an unfortunate misnomer.