![]() ![]() According to one estimate, global demand for these magnets is expected to reach $37 billion by 2027. She says that while China has been using rare earths to meet the needs of its own green revolution, its virtual monopoly presents an obstacle to other nations looking to get their hands on the materials. ![]() Northeastern researchers are trying to level the field. And for many decades, China not only has had a large supply of these rare earths, but the means and will to produce them.”Ĭhina’s control of rare earth metals is a big advantage in a trade war. “Because the methods necessary to process the ore that comes out of the earth are really environmentally hazardous-I would say even damaging. China controls close to 80% of the world’s rare earths supply.īut when it comes to these precious metals, scarcity alone doesn’t tell the whole story. “So if we can do it in industrially relevant time-scales, we will have a nice new addition to the permanent magnet portfolio.”ĭecoupling the scarce materials from magnet production not only provides sorely needed supply chain relief-there simply aren’t enough magnets to meet the world’s energy needs-but, Lewis says, it will help “rebalance geopolitical tensions” by easing U.S. And nature will do it, but it will take millions of years to do,” she says. ![]() “The iron and nickel atoms have to rearrange themselves. To make the cosmic mineral requires manipulating the atomic structures of its iron and nickel components by arranging them into a crystal structure that resembles tetrataenite, speeding up a natural process that would take millions of years on Earth, Lewis says. It’s only found in meteorites, says Laura Lewis, a university distinguished professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern, who is part of a team that is attempting to make tetrataenite in a lab in an effort to uncover scalable solutions to the rare earths shortage. The problem is that tetrataenite isn’t found in nature-at least, not on Earth. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Laura Lewis, a university distinguished professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern, conducts research in 476 Snell Engineering. For years, researchers have been searching for new magnetic materials that can act as substitutes for the critically scarce components.Įngineers at Northeastern now believe they can solve the puzzle, and have patented a process to accelerate the creation of one such rare earth magnet alternative-a mineral known as tetrataenite, whose magnetic properties make it a leading candidate to replace magnets made of the scarce material. In particular, they are used in the production of high-performance magnets that are, themselves, fundamental components in a whole host of technologies. Rare earth elements are essential in manufacturing a range of high-tech devices. But what happens when certain materials are concentrated in the hands of one single nation-as most of the world’s rare earth metals are with China? During a time of immense global uncertainty, managing supply chains for critical materials has been a top priority for many governments and large organizations. ![]()
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