Rare earth elements allow for the conveniences shared by modern society. It is the critical components that have made the advancements in technology possible. Its versatility expands thought different media that include: renewable energy, geographic information systems, national security, missile guidance, computer technology, hybrid vehicles, plastics, medical technology and more. All population throughout the world use it regardless if they know it or not. The mining and process of rare earths come at a very high price. They are extremely hard to purify and produce hazardous material that is not easily disposed of. Accidents during the mining and processing of rare earths have caused sever and costly environmental contamination and degradation. China has been the only producer of rare earth metals for years and has restricted its exports. This has led to a worldwide shortage and struggle for countries to supply the demand it requires.
The Impacts of Mining and Processing Rare Earth Elements
Introduction
Few seem to completely understand the technology involved in their everyday lives. It is something we have come to accept. A classic example are the rare earth metals (REM) used to make our everyday lives more convenient, more productive, and safer. These metals make the functionality of modern technology what it is today and what it will be in the future. Rare Earth Metals although found throughout the world, are hard to come by. Their extraction has proven difficult and controversial. There is only one country, China, that is a major producer of rare earth elements (REE). The question of how to get more for the worlds ever increasing demand reigns heavy on the minds of leaders and corporations who need the suppl...
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Technology is supposed to be seen as such an advancement and great accomplishment. What others may not always know is sometimes it isn’t all fun and games, it can be dangerous. As seen when we created the atomic bomb and guns, their only purpose is to destroy and cause pain to others. Although they are not always in use, they are a constant threat to our well being. We need to take into consideration the positives and the negatives of the technology we create today.
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Uranium is a rare element and formed not just on Earth but also in space and other planets. It is formed in exploding supernovas, and since it has 92 electrons and 92 protons it is the heaviest naturally produced element. It is radioactive and very harmful and sometimes fatal to humans when contact is made. However it is a sustainable and long lasting source of energy and much better for the environment compared to the more traditional approach to energy, Fossil Fuels. Some scientists say it may be the solution to climate change.
Due to the natural processes of magma flow, hydrothermal gradients, sedimentation, and evaporation, minerals are concentrated in various areas of the Earth’s crust. Obtaining these minerals for human use involves four general steps. • Locating the minerals • Then, extracting the minerals from the Earth in the form of ore or rock Then, processing (smelting) the ore to separate the impurities from the desired mineral. Finally, creating a useful product from the minerals. Procedure 1.
In 1937, technetium-99m was discovered by C. Perrier and E. Segre. It is a radionuclide, and was first discovered as an artificial element that was used to fill space number 43 in the periodic table. 1
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Though it has had many negative impacts on the environment in the past, mining is a vital industry completely necessary to our economy and lives. Nearly every item we use or encounter in our day to day lives is mined or contains mined products. Without the excavation of such materials things like computers, televisions, large building structures, electricity, and cars would not be possible. Virtually every technological and medical advance uses minded materials, without which millions would suffer. Some examples of minerals in the home include the telephone which is made from as many as 42 different minerals, including aluminum, beryllium, coal, copper, gold, iron, silver, and talc. A television requires over 35 different minerals, and more than 30 minerals are needed to make a single personal computer. Without boron, copper, gold and quartz, your digital alarm clock would not work. Every American uses an average 47,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year, which is higher than all other countries with the exception of Japan, which is a staggering figure representative of our dependence and need for mined minerals. Coal makes up more than half of nation’s electricity, and will continue to be the largest electrical supplier into 2020 & accounting for some 95 percent of the nation's fossil energy reserves – nine of every ten short-tons of coal mined in the United States is used for electricity generation. As the population of the world grows more mineral resources must be exploited through mining in order to support the rising demand for such products. Though it may present a hazard to the environment and those physically located nears the mines, the materials extracted from mines...
In 2007, the world consumed 5.3 billion tons of coal, 31.1 billion tons of oil, 2.92 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, and 65,000 tons of uranium. All of these energy needs could have been met with only 6,600 tons of thorium, an abundant, slightly radioactive element found in the Earth’s crust.
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Ever since the dawn of time, curiosity has driven mankind into the intriguing revolution of technology. Beginning with simple, fire-starting techniques by use of stick and stone and advancing into complex, space-exploring odysseys, civilization has created endless scientific and technological discoveries. By looking at this developmental progress, one can notice that culture as a whole has been and will continue to be affected by technology. In an era where this kind of change is rapidly increasing, there are those who are afraid of its power. But do these concerns outweigh the amount of positive influence that ever-evolving industrial science brings?
In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.
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