<
https://theconversation.com/humanity-needs-more-rare-earth-elements-extinct-volcanoes-could-be-a-rich-new-source-239410>
"Extinct volcanoes are hard to study – we never see them erupt. Using a unique
experimental technique, we were able to recreate a certain type of extinct
volcano in a lab, learning more about the magma these volcanoes produce.
We found that some rare magma types are surprisingly efficient at concentrating
rare earth elements. This is a group of metals with crucial applications in
several high-tech industries, such as magnets for electric vehicles and wind
turbines.
Demand for rare earths is soaring as society moves away from fossil fuels and
electrifies energy production and transport. Despite the name, rare earths
aren’t particularly rare. The biggest challenge is finding rocks in which these
metals are concentrated enough to be economically viable to extract.
Our new research, published in the journal
Geochemical Perspectives Letters,
shows certain extinct volcanoes are a great place to look."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
