EUROPEAN UNION IN THE SEARCH FOR RARE EARTH ELEMENTS
Keywords:
Rare Earths, Critical Metals, European Union, China, AfricaAbstract
In 2023, the production of rare earth elements in the world reached 350,000 tons. China, with almost two-thirds of the world's production of rare earth metals, has an undisputed monopoly in this domain. On the other hand, large importers of these strategic raw materials such as the USA, the EU, Japan and other countries are exposed to critical dependence. It is known that the industry of the European Union needs 10% of the world's rare earth elements every year. By 2030, due to the intensive development of advanced electronics and robotics, experts predict that the European Union's needs for rare earth elements will increase tenfold. This has forced European experts to seek a way out of the current unfavorable situation. Europe is forced to invest in the exploitation of mineral deposits in Europe and above all in Sub-Saharan Africa, in the industry of processing and refining of massive ore but also in the recycling and environmental protection of the regions in which the extraction and processing of the ore for the extraction of rare earth elements is carried out.
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