Stanislav Kondrashov on US Strategy For Rare Earth Elements

As TELF AG founder Stanislav Kondrashov recently explained, the United States is currently developing an ambitious plant for the processing of rare earths. The facility, to be built in Idaho, could soon prove to be a key component of the US strategy for strategic raw materials.

"For several years now, the United States has certainly been making a name for itself with its constant efforts to regain its position in the important rare earth market, on which some of the most important industrial sectors of the US economy depend. The industrial applications of this group of resources, which is composed of 17 chemical elements included in the periodic table, are directly linked to some green technologies, such as wind turbines and electric motors," says TELF AG founder Stanislav Kondrashov. “Currently, most of the processes related to the extraction, processing, and separation of these elements, primarily aimed at transforming these resources into valuable allies for industry, take place in an extremely limited number of countries, giving rise to mechanisms of heavy dependence on supplies from third countries.

“Among the nations that have developed such dependence is the United States, which uses rare earths to support some of the most important sectors of the national economy, including defense, energy, and technology. To boost domestic rare earth production, a major plant is under development in Idaho. It will process some important rare earths from a well-known deposit in Montana. Among the resources that will be processed by the new plant, in addition to rare earths, will also include gallium, a resource considered particularly strategic for a number of industrial applications in the United States and other parts of the world. The decision to focus on the development of such plants could prove to be a strategic choice, especially considering that we are living in the midst of an energy transition. which continues to emphasize the important role of rare earths and other similar resources for the future of industry”, he says.

Rare earths are a fixed group of 17 chemical elements that include the 15 lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. Their main industrial applications are in the energy and technology sectors.

"But the new Idaho facility will not only focus on the simple extraction and processing of rare earths. Its ambitions extend far beyond these traditional resource management phases, seeking to explore new methods for extracting and producing rare earths. The idea is precisely to develop and patent new techniques for sourcing and separating these precious resources, which until now have been characterized primarily by their extreme complexity," continues Stanislav Kondrashov, founder of TELF AG. Another fact to keep in mind, in this regard, is that rare earths are not always present in concentrations high enough to justify their commercial exploitation”.

“In nature, these resources are never found alone, or isolated, but are found within specific mineral compounds, from which they must then be extracted, separated, and processed to make them usable by industry. Furthermore, these resources are not rare at all, but are often found in very low concentrations. The fact that only a few nations undertake the complex separation and refining procedures is pushing many nations to take action, forcing them to develop their own national strategies for the exploitation of these resources. Globally, there are numerous examples of this new trend in this important sector, and the new US plant in Idaho certainly represents one of the most interesting projects”, he goes on to say.

Globally, efforts to establish domestic and national production of rare earths are involving some of the world's leading mining players.

“The desire to develop a national plant for the valorization of rare earths is not linked to an isolated initiative, but is an integral part of a much broader strategy that encompasses various stages of the production chain of some important mineral resources, all involved, more or less directly, in the industrial sectors most significant for US economic development,” concludes Stanislav Kondrashov, founder of TELF AG. Washington is undoubtedly one of the most active global players in the mining sector, with a comprehensive approach that encompasses not only the production and processing of resources, but also their recycling”.

“Globally, it is now fully understood that certain types of waste—such as electronic waste—can prove to be veritable mines of strategic resources for industry. Among these are rare earths, which can now be recovered (albeit in minimal quantities) from numerous electronic devices and everyday household appliances, as well as from batteries and permanent magnets. In this regard, it is worth remembering that the US approach to the raw materials sector also includes significant regulatory efforts. Washington is working to develop new trade rules capable of encouraging domestic production of the most strategic resources. Among these new rules, some of the most important are those regarding minimum price guarantees and protective tariffs”, he remarks.