[MCN] Mining our way out of the climate emergency: the case of varied, multiple consumer demand for rare earths

[Lance Olsen]

Excerpt: "Rare earth elements (REE) are Scandium, Yttrium and 15 other elements of the Lanthanide group of metals. Although they are called ‘rare earths’, except Promethium which is unstable, the others are relatively abundant in the earth’s crust. Even the least abundant rare earth element, Thulium, is about 100 to 200 times more common than gold. What makes them ‘rare earths’ is the fact that they are found highly scattered and sprinkled across the planet in low concentrates and are rarely found in adequate quantities which can be mined and separated economically. Rare earth extraction is one of the most environmentally destructive and toxic producing of all mining practices. 

"Their special luminescence, magnetic and optical properties makes rare earths an essential ingredient  in a wide range of products like fighter jets, ballistic missiles, guidance systems, electronic displays, lasers, radars, sonar, communications systems, GPS, satellites, oil refineries, automobile industry, fuel cells, aviation industry, high end hi-tech consumer products like cell phones, computer hard drives, wind turbines, flat screen monitors, fiber optics, LED, solar panels and also in almost every clean energy and green technology application. The super magnetic strength of the rare earth elements enables extraordinary miniaturization of components. Although the amount of rare earths by weight or volume in a device may be small, they play a crucial role in their performance and longevity."

<<https://www.theweek.in/news/sci-tech/2020/05/16/global-rare-earths-battle-a-reality-check.html <https://www.theweek.in/news/sci-tech/2020/05/16/global-rare-earths-battle-a-reality-check.html>>>

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A core question: What is “resilience”?

2018 — “Resilience is a popular narrative for conservation and provides an opportunity to communicate optimism that ecosystems can recover and rebound from disturbances.” (Emily S. Darling and Isabelle M. Côté, Science, March 2, 2018). 

2014 — “Emerging from a wide range of disciplines, resilience in policy-making has often been based on the ability of systems to bounce back to normality, drawing on engineering concepts. This implies the return of the functions of an individual, household, community or ecosystem to previous conditions, with as little damage and disruption as possible following shocks and stresses”  (Tanner et al, Nature Climate Change,  December 18, 2014). 

1938 — Resilience. 1- The act or power of springing back to a former position or shape. 2. The quantity of work given back by a body that is compressed to a certain limit and then allowed to recover itself, as a spring under pressure suddenly relaxed.”  (Funk & Wagnall’s New Standard Dictionary of the English Language, vol.2, M-Z 1938

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