‘Europe’s largest’ reserve of rare earth metals has been found in Sweden, mining company LKAB announces. ‘We need more and more of those metals for the green transition,’ says geologist Anouk Borst (KU Leuven/ AfricaMuseum). ‘Now we are mainly dependent on China.’
How do you rate the announcement of the mining company LKAB?
“They have found rare earth metals in the mineral apatite that they mine to extract phosphate that is used as fertilizer. The rare earth metals are always contained in rock together with fifteen. These include neodymium and samarium. It is a bit surprising to geologists because this location, in Kiruna in northern Sweden, was not immediately on our radar as a possible source of rare earths.”
“But LKAB does come up with evidence that they have found a low concentration of rare earth metals. Whether it is the largest stock in Europe, I dare not say. Because large quantities of ore with slightly higher concentrations of rare earth metals have also been found in southern Sweden, Greenland and Russia. But they are there in minerals that are more difficult to process than apatite.”
Is the concentration found large enough to commercialize?
“It is a low concentration of about 0.85% by weight of oxides of those metals in the apatite. We usually see that amount as too low a concentration to be economically viable. But because LKAB already wants to mine apatite in this mine, it is possible to do so because the rare earth metals are in fact a by-product. Moreover, that mine already exists, so you avoid protests that usually accompany the construction of a new mine. In Greenland and southern Sweden, the resources of rare earth metals cannot be mined because the population fears and resists the environmental damage of such a mine.”
“However, it can take a long time before LKAB has all permits in order and it has to roll out a new process to extract the rare earth metals from the mineral. That method exists in itself, but it usually does not happen in the same place as in the mine. But it is crucial for Europe that we both mine and process the substances here and not leave that to China.”
What are these rare metals mainly used for?
“This find contains a lot of neodymium and that earth metal is essential for very strong magnets that are used in wind turbines and electric cars. We need much more of this to shape the green energy transition. By 2030, the production of rare earths should therefore increase approximately fivefold. Then it is a real boost that we find it in Europe, because now we are mainly dependent on China for this. The country dominates the mining and processing of these raw materials. That is precisely why Australia and the US are now investing extra in mining for rare metals. Europe has so far not excavated anything.”
That’s why the CEO of LKAB says that this find “could become the new oil” and make Sweden a new powerhouse.
“I think that goes a bit too far. We don’t need one raw material such as oil, but many different minerals and for many of them certain countries already have a monopoly, such as Congo for cobalt. Wherever these finds are made, much more will have to be excavated, but that is difficult because it is sometimes accompanied by local environmental damage. We can make the mining of the future a lot cleaner and more efficient, but it remains a major intervention. That presents us with a dilemma. Remain dependent on China, where few safety or environmental regulations apply, or more private mining where we have much more control over the impact on the environment?”
“In Kiruna, the one mine that is already there will not provide us with everything we need. We must realize that our wind turbines, electric cars, laptops and mobile phones do not grow on trees, but must be dug out of the ground.”