Thin-film solar panels, the cell phone in your hand and the LED bulb lighting your home are all made using some of the rarest, most expensive elements found on the planet. An international t... Read more
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and partners Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Wisconsin-based Eck Industries have developed aluminum alloys... Read more
Technologies from wind turbines to electric vehicles rely on critical materials called rare-earth elements. These elements, though often abundant, can be difficult and increasingly costly to... Read more
An international policy is needed for recycling scarce specialty metals that are critical in the production of consumer goods, according to Yale researchers in Science. “A recycling rate of... Read more
They are pivotal in defense technology Former Chinese president Deng Xiaoping recognized the importance of rare earth elements (REEs) almost two decades ago. “The Middle East has oil a... Read more
China is set to tighten its hammerlock on the market for some of the world’s most obscure but valuable minerals. Read more
Image via Wikipedia It’s not hard to argue in favor of alternatives to fossil fuels these days, but one popular argument — domestic energy security — may be standing on ver... Read more
Image via Wikipedia So-called rare earths are not rare, but with no current domestic source the essential trace elements can be harder to come by than U.S. makers of wind turbines, hybrid ca... Read more
Image via Wikipedia Two decades after global competition drove the mines in this corner of Japan to extinction, Kosaka is again abuzz with talk of new riches. The treasures are not copper or... Read more
Image via Wikipedia ON A hazy summer afternoon, before the giant thunder clouds have had chance to unleash their fury, one of the most breath-taking sights you can witness is the Painted Des... Read more
