Rare Earth Elements: A Review of Production, Processing ...

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EPA/600/R-12/572 December 2012 Revised Rare Earth Elements: A Review of Production, Processing, Recycling, and Associated Environmental Issues Engineering Technical Support Center Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division National Risk Management Research Laboratory Office of Research and Development Cincinnati, OH ii
Foreword The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation’s land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA’s research program is providing data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge base necessary to manage our ecological resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect our health, and prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is the Agency’s center for investigation of technological and management approaches for preventing and reducing risks from pollution that threaten human health and the environment. The focus of the Laboratory’s research program is on methods and their cost-effectiveness for prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water, and subsurface resources; protection of water quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated sites, sediments, and ground water; prevention and control of indoor air pollution; and restoration of ecosystems. NRMRL collaborates with both public and private sector partners to foster technologies that reduce the cost of compliance and to anticipate emerging problems. NRMRL’s research provides solutions to environmental problems by: developing and promoting technologies that protect and improve the environment; advancing scientific and engineering information to support regulatory and policy decisions; and providing the technical support and information transfer to ensure implementation of environmental regulations and strategies at the national, state, and community levels. Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 15 chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the lanthanides. Two other elements, scandium and yttrium, have a similar physiochemistry to the lanthanides, are commonly found in the same mineral assemblages, and are often referred to as REEs. Although relatively abundant in the earth’s crust, they rarely occur in concentrated forms, making them economically challenging to obtain. These elements comprise critical components of many of our modern-day technological devices and everyday electronics. REE demand in the United States is projected to increase given global demand for green and sustainable products in energy, military, and manufacturing uses. China has iii
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Page 5 and 6: Abstract Rare earth elements (REEs)
Page 7 and 8: Table of Contents List of Acronyms
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Rare Earth Elements Review Section
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Rare Earth Elements Review Appendix
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