Abstract Rare earth elements (REEs) including fifteen lanthanides, yttrium and scandium are found in more than 250 minerals, worldwide. REEs are used in various high-tech applications across various industries, such as electrical and electronics, automotive, renewable energy, medical and defence. Therefore, the demand for REEs in the global market is increasing day by day due to the surging demand from various sectors, such as emerging economies, green technology and R&D sectors. Rare earth (RE) deposits are classified on the basis of their genetic associations, mineralogy and form of occurrences. The Bayan Obo, Mountain Pass, Mount Weld and China’s ion adsorption clays are the major RE deposits/mines in the world to date and their genesis, chronology and mineralogy are discussed in this review. In addition, there are other RE deposits, which are currently being mined or in the feasibility or exploration stages. Most of the RE resources, production, processing and supply are concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region. In this regard, China holds the dominancy in the RE industry by producing more than 90% of the current rare earth requirements. Thus, REEs are used as a powerful tool by China in trade wars against other countries, especially against USA in 2019. However, overwhelming challenges in conventional RE explorations and mining make secondary RE resources, such as electric and electronic waste (e-waste) and mine tailings as promising resources in the future. Due to the supply risk of REEs and the monopoly of the REEs market, REEs recycling is currently considered as an effective method to alleviate market fluctuations. However, economical and sustainable processing techniques are yet to be established to exploit REEs via recycling. Moreover, there are growing ecological concerns along with social resistance towards the RE industry. To overcome these issues, the RE industry needs to be assessed to maintain long-term social sustainability by fostering the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Latin America has recently undergone a passage from the Washington consensus, based on financial valorization, to the commodities consensus, based on the large-scale exportation of raw materials, such as hydrocarbons (gas and petroleum), metals and minerals (copper, gold, silver, tin, baux ite, zinc, etc.), agricultural products (corn, soy, and wheat), and biofuels. The commodities consensus is a complex, fast-paced, recursive process and must be read from multiple perspectives. From an economic point of view, it has involved a process of “reprimarization” of Latin American economies, emphasizing their reorientation toward mainly extractive or rent-based activities, with little added value. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in 2011 agricultural, mineral, and commodity raw materials represented 76 percent of the exports of the countries of the Union of South American Nations, compared to only 34 percent for the world as a whole. The manufacture of advanced technology, in comparison, represented 7 percent and 25 percent, respectively (UNCTAD 2014). China’s entry in the global market compounds the situation, as it quickly imposes itself as an unequal South Atlantic Quarterly
In the context of the increasing volume of industrial waste and stricter environmental requirements, the urgent task is to efficiently process them to produce products with high added value. In this work, the composition of industrial products of vanadium production formed during the hydrometallurgical processing of rare metals is investigated, and the possibility of their use for the production of heat-resistant building mixes is substantiated. A comprehensive analysis, including X-ray, X-ray fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopic methods, revealed a high content of silica, aluminum oxides, and refractory minerals that determine the heat resistance of the material. Optimal compositions of building mixes based on Portland cement, liquid glass, and chamotte have been developed, providing compressive strength up to 45 MPa and resistance to thermal cycling at temperatures up to 1800 ° C. The design of a device for forming building blocks based on industrial waste from metallurgical production by vibration pressing is proposed, designed to ensure high density and geometric stability of products. The results obtained confirm the possibility of complex industrial waste disposal with the simultaneous creation of environmentally safe, durable, and heat-resistant building materials used in energy, metallurgy, the chemical industry, and civil engineering.
Cyrus Addy, Ajay Kumar Gurumadaiah, Yixiang Gao
et al.
Underground mining operations face significant safety challenges that make emergency response capabilities crucial. While robots have shown promise in assisting with search and rescue operations, their effectiveness depends on reliable miner detection capabilities. Deep learning algorithms offer potential solutions for automated miner detection, but require comprehensive training datasets, which are currently lacking for underground mining environments. This paper presents a novel thermal imaging dataset specifically designed to enable the development and validation of miner detection systems for potential emergency applications. We systematically captured thermal imagery of various mining activities and scenarios to create a robust foundation for detection algorithms. To establish baseline performance metrics, we evaluated several state-of-the-art object detection algorithms including YOLOv8, YOLOv10, YOLO11, and RT-DETR on our dataset. While not exhaustive of all possible emergency situations, this dataset serves as a crucial first step toward developing reliable thermal-based miner detection systems that could eventually be deployed in real emergency scenarios. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using thermal imaging for miner detection and establishes a foundation for future research in this critical safety application.
The development of Large Language Models (LLMs) has created transformative opportunities for the financial industry, especially in the area of financial trading. However, how to integrate LLMs with trading systems has become a challenge. To address this problem, we propose an intelligent trade order recognition pipeline that enables the conversion of trade orders into a standard format in trade execution. The system improves the ability of human traders to interact with trading platforms while addressing the problem of misinformation acquisition in trade execution. In addition, we have created a trade order dataset of 500 pieces of data to simulate real-world trading scenarios. Moreover, we designed several metrics to provide a comprehensive assessment of dataset reliability and the generative power of big models in finance by experimenting with five state-of-the-art LLMs on our dataset. The results indicate that while LLMs demonstrate high generation rates (87.50% to 98.33%) and perfect follow-up rates, they face significant challenges in accuracy (5% to 10%) and completeness, with high missing rates (14.29% to 67.29%). In addition, LLMs tend to over-interrogate, suggesting that large models tend to collect more information, carrying certain challenges for information security.
Franziska Strube, Thomas Wilhelm, Johanna Sygusch
et al.
The demand for lithium, as well as other critical resources, needed for electrochemical energy storage is expected to grow significantly in the future. Slags obtained from pyrometallurgical recycling represent a promising resource of valuable materials, among them lithium and rare earth elements found in artificial minerals particulate phases. This study investigates the flotation separation of engineered artificial minerals (EnAMs) in slags, such as lithium aluminate and gehlenite as valuable and gangue phases, respectively. Flotation experiments are carried out in a Partridge-Smith cell using oleic acid (OA) as a benchmark surfactant. Particle characterization is performed using SEM-based Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA), which provides particle discrete information. From this information, bivariate Tromp functions based on non-parametric kernel density estimation are computed to characterize the separation behavior with respect to particle descriptors. This approach enables investigating the influence of particle size and shape on separation behavior of EnAMs. Furthermore, these results allow for the optimization of flotation experiments for enriching Li-bearing EnAMs.
Eloy Peña-Asensio, Josep M. Trigo. Rodríguez, Jordi Sort
et al.
This study analyzes the mechanical and elemental properties of lunar meteorites DHOFAR 1084, JAH 838, NWA 11444, and HED meteorite NWA 6013. Utilizing microscale rock mechanics experiments, i.e., nanoindentation testing, this research reveals significant heterogeneity in both mechanical and elemental attributes across the minerals of the samples. Olivines, pyroxen, feldspar, and spinel demonstrate similar compositional and mechanical characteristics. Conversely, other silicate and oxide minerals display variations in their mechanical properties. Terrestrial olivines subjected to nanoindentation tests exhibit increased hardness and a higher Young's modulus compared to their lunar counterparts. A linear correlation is observed between the H/Er ratio and both plastic and elastic energies. Additionally, the alignment of mineral phases along a constant H/Er ratio suggests variations in local porosity. This study also highlights the need for further research focusing on porosity, phase insertions within the matrix, and structural orientations to refine our understanding of these mechanical characteristics. The findings have direct implications for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) strategies and future state-of-the-art impact models. This comprehensive characterization serves as a foundational resource for future research efforts in space science and mining.
Xiruo Kou, Lucía Iglesias-Vázquez, M. Nadal
et al.
BACKGROUND The progressive industrialization has resulted in an increase in heavy metal pollution in the environment, which has a dangerous impact on human health. Prenatal exposure to heavy metals, even at very low concentrations, may be especially harmful to pregnant women and their children. Different industrial activities can contribute to heavy metal pollution in a specific area. OBJECTIVE 1) To explore the concentrations of heavy metals in urine samples of pregnant women, and 2) to evaluate the potential effect of different industrial activities in Tarragona (Spain). METHODS Urinary levels of four heavy metals (nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb)) from 368 pregnant women recruited in the ECLIPSES study were analyzed. Home addresses and all the industries potentially releasing heavy metals were geo-referenced. Buffer zones were established within a 1.5, 3, and 5 km radius at the center of each industry. Subsequently, the number of participants living in and out of each buffer zone was recorded. RESULTS Urinary levels of Ni and Cd, but not those of Hg and Pb, were obviously increased in pregnant women living near most of the industrial sites. After adjustment for potential co-variates, only Cd showed notable differences according to the industrial activity. Compared to women living outside the buffer, Cd levels were increased in those living within 1.5 and 3 km of chemical industries, within 5 km of energy industries, within 1.5, 3, and 5 km of mineral industries, and within 3 and 5 km of metal processing industries. CONCLUSION Among the analyzed heavy metals, Cd showed an increasing trend in urinary concentrations in women living near chemical, energy, mineral, and metal processing industries. This study highlights the need to develop legislative measures to minimize Cd exposure, especially by sensitive populations. Moreover, additive or synergistic effects of co-exposure to other air pollutants should not be disregarded.
The strong impact of COVID-19 on the global mining market has caused severe fluctuations in the prices of mineral products and mining stocks. Meanwhile, geopolitical conflicts have exacerbated risks in minerals trade and mining stock transactions. In the face of uncertainties in the international economic landscape and volatility of stock prices, China, as the world's major mineral trading country, has become increasingly linked between its stock market and the mining economy. To clarify the characteristics of mining stock price fluctuations and the evolution of the transmission relationships, and identify the key nodes and main paths of price transmission, we select 100 Chinese mining stocks from January 2019 to October 2022, distinguish them according to the industry category, and use Granger causality test, minimum spanning tree model and complex network analysis method to study. The results show that: (1) Chinese mining stock prices have risen significantly since 2020, and there has been a "decoupling” phenomenon within the stock market, that is, the linkage between some mining stocks has weakened. (2) The stock price fluctuation characteristics and transmission effects of different mining industries are obviously different. Precious metal minerals (PM) have the most dramatic changes in price fluctuations, the most prominent hedging characteristics, and the rapid price response ability, which is the first to accept price transmission. rare earth and rare metal minerals (RE) are sensitive to price fluctuations and are usually the "leader” of the transmission path. Bulk non-ferrous minerals (BNFM) have the most stable price fluctuations and are closely related to other stocks, which is a "transit warehouse” in the transmission path. (3) The price transmission mechanism of Chinese mining stock market has gradually stabilized, and the main transmission paths of "Coal→Agricultural minerals (Agri)→BNFM→Steel” and "PM, Core minerals for new energy (NEM), and RE→BNFM” have been formed in 2022.
Kasistha Cantyani, J. Matthew, Sesilia Rainaputri Jans
et al.
Nickel ore export ban has been imposed by Indonesia as the leading actor on the global nickel supply chain which created a disruption and has not been perceived well by other countries, especially the European Union (EU) countries. This paper will analyze the implications caused by the export ban to EU countries and the actions following it, including the enactment of the palm oil ban. Starting with the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel, the EU’s strategy of forcing Indonesia to lift the export ban has not yet succeeded. With the tit-for-tat strategy, this paper identifies the EU’s palm oil ban as a form of retaliation for the Indonesian nickel ore export ban. Although the tit-for-tat strategy often is used in a positive-sum game, the conflict between Indonesia and the EU is a negative-sum game with both parties putting their economies at risk. Keywords: nickel ore export ban, palm oil ban, tit-for-tat strategy, Indonesia, European Union REFERENCES Adam, B., & Ahamat, H. (2022). Indonesia’s Mineral Export Prohibition and Legality of Export Duties Under the GATT Rules. Sriwijaya Law Review, 6(2), 239. https://doi.org/10.28946/slrev.vol6.iss2.1661.pp239-253 Bloomberg. (2022, September 30). Export ban triples nickel investment in Indonesia’s Morowali. Mining Weekly. https://www.miningweekly.com/article/export-ban-triples-nickel-investment-in indonesias-morowali-2022-09-30 BNamericas - Why nickel prices are rising – and will rema... (2022, March 28). BNamericas.com. https://www.bnamericas.com/en/interviews/why-nickel-prices-are-rising--and-will-remain high#:~:text=The%20main%20point%20that%20will Codingest. (2023, January 16). Threats in Europe, for Indonesian Palm Oil in 2023. BPDP. https://www.bpdp.or.id/en/threats-in-europe-for-indonesian-palm-oil-in 2023#:~:text=The%20EU Commodity Watch Indonesia: Zooming In On Nickel, A Valuable Metal With A Bright Future | Indonesia Investments. (2022, June 7). Www.indonesia-Investments.com. https://www.indonesia investments.com/business/business-columns/commodity-watch-indonesia-zooming-in-on-nickel a-valuable-metal-with-a-bright-future/item9521 Decena, K. (2019, May 9). Chinese firms lay out processing facility plans after Indonesian ore export ban. Www.spglobal.com. https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news insights/trending/l19hkna_dqquro-fmklifa2 Dunne, T., Kurki, M., & Smith, S. (2021). International relations theories : discipline and diversity (5th ed., p. 119). Oxford University Press. EU Needs Nickel, But Discriminates Palm Oil. (2021, March 8). Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI IPOA). https://gapki.id/en/news/19858/eu-needs-nickel-but-discriminates-palm-oil European Steel in Figures 2022. (n.d.). In EUROFER. EUROFER. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.eurofer.eu/assets/publications/brochures-booklets-and-factsheets/european steel-in-figures-2022/European-Steel-in-Figures-2022-v2.pdf Fahalmesta, F. (2022). Indonesia Nickel Crucial metal for low-carbon future (pp. 1–5). Korea Investment & Sekuritas Indonesia. https://kisi.co.id/storage/researchanalysis/August2022/ZuWoIYdDKyucPZU6Zurg.pdf Halm, I. van. (2023, January 10). The nickel price rollercoaster of 2022. Mining Technology. https://www.mining-technology.com/features/nickel-price-surge-2022-markets/ Home, A. (2022, September 30). Column: Indonesia’s nickel surge bad news for price and pricing. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/indonesias-nickel-surge-bad news-price-pricing-2022-09-29/ Huber, I. (2021, December 8). Indonesia’s Nickel Industrial Strategy. Www.csis.org. https://www.csis.org/analysis/indonesias-nickel-industrial-strategy Idris, M. (2021, January 15). Uni Eropa, Gigih Tolak Sawit Indonesia, Tapi Butuh Nikelnya Halaman all. KOMPAS. https://money.kompas.com/read/2021/01/15/203805526/uni-eropa-gigih-tolak-sawit indonesia-tapi-butuh-nikelnya?page=all Kelapa sawit, ancaman perang dagang RI-Uni Eropa dan enam hal lainnya. (2019, March 23). BBC News Indonesia. https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/indonesia-47663602 Lim, B., Kim, H. S., & Park, J. (2021). Implicit Interpretation of Indonesian Export Bans on LME Nickel Prices: Evidence from the Announcement Effect. Risks, 9(5), 93. https://doi.org/10.3390/risks9050093 Nainggolan, B., Wijayati, A., Panjaitan, H., Saputra, D. F., & Rahim, R. (2021). ICLHR 2021: Proceedings from the 1st International Conference on Law and Human Rights, ICLHR 2021, 14- 15 April 2021, Jakarta, Indonesia. In Google Books. European Alliance for Innovation. https://books.google.co.id/books?hl=en&lr=&id=5a1jEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA226&dq=indonesia+nickel+ban+policy+european+union&ots=qdPe9VZPqw&sig=InXkmX Hqfja4EHtRaVncINgkc&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=indonesia%20nickel%20ban%20policy%20european%20union&f =false Nickel for Life. (2019). BKPM. https://www.bkpm.go.id/en/publication/detail/news/nickelforlife#:~:text=Nickel%20potential%20in%20Indonesia Nickel monthly price worldwide 2023. (n.d.). Statista. Retrieved May 25, 2023, fromhttps://www.statista.com/statistics/260799/monthly-price-of-nickel-at-lme Organization, W. T. (n.d.-a). WTO Analytical Index GATT 1994 - Article X (Jurisprudence). Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/gatt1994_art10_jur.pdf Organization, W. T. (n.d.-b). WTO Analytical Index GATT 1994 - Article XI (Practice). Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/gatt1994_art11_oth.pdf Pickrell, E. (2022, March 31). Russia-Ukraine War Helps Drive Nickel Prices, EV Headaches. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/uhenergy/2022/03/31/russia-ukraine-war-helps-drive-nickel-prices ev-headaches/?sh=59f5c7eb57cd Post, T. J. (2022, December 13). Indonesia appeals WTO ruling in nickel dispute against EU. The Jakarta Post. https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2022/12/13/indonesia-appeals-wto-ruling-in nickel-dispute-against-eu.html Prasetyo, E. (n.d.). Questioning Indonesia’s Ban on Export of Ore Policy Under International Investment and Trade Law. PUSHEP. (2021, February 3). Why does Indonesia’s nickel export ban upset the EU? Pusat Studi Hukum Energi Dan Pertambangan. https://pushep.or.id/why-does-indonesias-nickel-export-ban-upset-the eu/ Staff, R. (2022, December 12). Indonesia appeals WTO ruling in nickel dispute against EU.Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/indonedia-eu-nickel-idUSKBN2SW1PR Taufan Adharsyah. (2019, March 20). RI Bakal Rugi Miliaran Dolar Akibat Larangan Sawit Uni Eropa. Market; cnbcindonesia.com. https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/market/20190320173153-17- 61904/ri-bakal-rugi-miliaran-dolar-akibat-larangan-sawit-uni-eropa TRADING ECONOMICS | 20 Million Indicators for 196 Countries. (n.d.). Tradingeconomics.com. Retrieved May 25, 2023, from https://tradingeconomics.com/european union/imports/russia/nickel. Uni Eropa | Portal Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2018).Kemlu.go.id. https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/149/halaman_list_lainnya/uni-eropa Warburton, E. (2018). Nationalism, developmentalism and politics in Indonesia’s mining sector. Winona, C. V. (n.d.). Indonesia’s Nickel Industry in the Aftermath of Trade Dispute with the European Union. Https://Cwts.ugm.ac.id. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://cwts.ugm.ac.id/en/2022/11/03/indonesias-nickel-industry-in-the-aftermath-of-tradedispute-with-the-european-union/#:~:text=Indonesia%20produces%201%20million%20metric WTO | dispute settlement - DS592: Indonesia - Measures Relating to Raw Materials. (n.d.). World Trade Organization. Retrieved January 9, 2023, from https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds592_e.htm WTO panel rules against Indonesia’s export limitations on raw materials. (2022, November 30). European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7314 Xinhua. (2022, November 17). China-invested industrial parks bring boom to Indonesia’s nickel industry - Global Times. Global Times. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1279768.shtml Yeo, R. (n.d.). Europe stainless steel prices fall further, no relief until September – sources – British Stainless Steel Association. British Stainless Steel Association. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://bssa.org.uk/europe-stainless-steel-prices-fall-further-no-relief-until-september-sources/
Allison Woodruff, Renee Shelby, Patrick Gage Kelley
et al.
Generative AI is expected to have transformative effects in multiple knowledge industries. To better understand how knowledge workers expect generative AI may affect their industries in the future, we conducted participatory research workshops for seven different industries, with a total of 54 participants across three US cities. We describe participants' expectations of generative AI's impact, including a dominant narrative that cut across the groups' discourse: participants largely envision generative AI as a tool to perform menial work, under human review. Participants do not generally anticipate the disruptive changes to knowledge industries currently projected in common media and academic narratives. Participants do however envision generative AI may amplify four social forces currently shaping their industries: deskilling, dehumanization, disconnection, and disinformation. We describe these forces, and then we provide additional detail regarding attitudes in specific knowledge industries. We conclude with a discussion of implications and research challenges for the HCI community.
The use of steel is essential in many industries, including infrastructure, transportation, and modern architecture. Predicting power consumption in the steel industry is crucial to meet the rising demand for steel and promoting city development. However, predicting energy consumption in the steel industry is challenging due to several factors, such as the type of steel produced, the manufacturing process, and the efficiency of the manufacturing facility. This research aims to contribute by creating a predictive model that estimates power consumption in the steel industry. The unique approach combines linear regression to predict a continuous variable related to power consumption and the KNN clustering method to identify the demanding load type. This study's novelty lies in the development of a model that accurately predicts energy consumption in the steel industry, leading to more sustainable and efficient practices. This research contributes to enabling industries to anticipate and optimize their energy consumption, leading to more sustainable practices and economic development.