- One single mine produces half the world's supply of 'rare earth' metals
- Seven-mile lake of toxic waste captured by Nasa's Terra satellite
- Two pictures captured five years apart show huge growth of mine facility
- Few Westerners have ever visited mine for metals crucial to electronics
By Rob Waugh
|
China's Bayan Obo mine produces around half the world's supply of the 17 'rare earth' metals - metals crucial to high-end electronics such as mobile phones, telephones, hi-tech cars and weaponry.
Few Western journalists have ever visited the open-cast mine in China's Inner Mongolia - and with reason. It spews out 420,000 cubic feet of toxic gas for every ton of rare metal mined, along with acidic waste water and radioactive material.
Nasa's Terra satellite has captured the growth of the secretive facility over five years - as China aims to stockpile rare earths to gain an economic advantage against the West.
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WHAT ARE RARE EARTHS - AND WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT TO CHINA?
Rare-earths are so-called because when they were first discovered in the 19th Century in Sweden, they were believed to be some of the most uncommon elements.
But through further scientific discovery, rare-earths have been found to be relatively abundant in the Earth's crust. However, the high cost of extraction means that only areas with rich deposits are worth exploiting.
Rare-earth metals are typically malleable. They also have high electrical conductivity.
They are often extracted from minerals through a process that involves dissolving elements in different liquids - usually water and a solvent.
There are 17 rare-earths and their purposes include being used in shielding for nuclear reactors, fibre optics, flatscreen displays and earthquake monitoring equipment.
In 2008, China supplied 139,000 tons worldwide, 97 per cent of the world's total rare-earth production.
The architect of modern China, Deng Xiaoping, realised the significance of the elements lurking in the arid wastes of Inner Mongolia almost 20 years ago when he said: 'There is oil in the Middle East but there is rare-earth in China.'
With names like cerium, lanthanum, and ytterbium, rare earth elements arenât exactly household names.
But the consumer products they are used in - such as magnets, camera lenses, and batteries - certainly are.
There are 17 rare earth elements in all, but these key metals arenât as rare as the name suggests. (In fact, some are relatively abundant in Earthâs crust.)
The vast majority of rare earthsâ"96 percent of the marketâ"come from China.Â
China has a stranglehold on the global supply of 17 rare earth materials essential for making high-end goods such as hybrid cars, camera lenses, mobile phones and weapons.
About half come from Bayan Obo, a single mine.
On July 2, 2001 (below) and June 30, 2006 (above), the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASAâs Terra satellite acquired these false-color views of the mine in the Nei Mongol Autonomous Region.
Vegetation appears red, grassland is light brown, rocks are black, and water surfaces are green. Two circular open-pit mines are visible, as well as a number of tailings ponds and tailings piles. Use the image comparison tool to see how the mine has grown larger since 2001. According to a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report, China produced about 81,000 tons of rare earth metals in 2001; the number jumped to about 120,000 by 2006.
Such an intensive mining operation has a definite impact on the surrounding environment. According to the Chinese Society of Rare Earths, 9,600 to 12,000 cubic meters (340,000 to 420,000 cubic feet) of waste gasâ"containing dust concentrate, hydrofluoric acid, sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acidâ"are released with every ton of rare metals that are mined.
Approximately 75 cubic meters (2,600 cubic feet) of acidic wastewater, plus about a ton of radioactive waste residue are also produced.
Around 100 miles south of Baiyun Obo, larger rare-earth refineries sit around the banks of the world's largest tailing lake, Baogang - seven square miles of evil-smelling toxic waste that shows the shocking extent of this industry's impact.
A NASA Terra satellite image (captured July 2, 2001) of China's Bayan Obo mine located in China's Nei Mongol Autonomous Region, showing two circular open-pit mines, a number of tailings ponds and tailings piles. Vegetation appears red, grassland light is brown, rocks are black, and water surfaces are green.
According to a USGS report, the United States has enough rare earth elements in the ground to meet global demand for decades to come.
But until Californiaâs Mountain Pass Mine recently reopened, few of these minerals were being mined in the U.S.
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China doesn't have all the rare earth mines. There are mines in the USA, Canada other parts of the world. Production stopped when China undercut the price, but has been started again.
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Is it true edmond, do we alone own the secret to making green?
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Looks like a squashed bird...
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It looks like a wilted flower, like some peoples minds.
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"China aims to stockpile rare earths to gain an economic advantage against the West... China has a stranglehold on the global supply." There's nothing sinister about China extracting its own sovereign minerals. They belong to China until exported!
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While the greens will raise heck, the rest will happily turn a blind eye. A sad indictment of todays reliance on must haves.
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"Use the image comparison tool to see how the mine has grown larger since 2001." *What* image comparison tool?
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The price of Green.
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It looks like a giant fly has just hit the earth !
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