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The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States: A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective

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Non-Renewable Resource Issues

Part of the book series: International Year of Planet Earth ((IYPE))

Abstract

Demand for the rare earth elements (REE, lanthanide elements) is estimated to be increasing at a rate of about 8% per year due to increasing applications in consumer products, computers, automobiles, aircraft, and other advanced technology products. Much of this demand growth is driven by new technologies that increase energy efficiency and substitute away from fossil fuels. Production of these elements is highly concentrated in China, which is reducing its exports of REE raw materials as part of its industrial policy. The ability of the rest of the world to replace supply from China depends on the quality of known REE resources and the degree to which those resources have been explored and evaluated. A review of United States resources in a global context finds that the United States could make significant contributions to future REE production. Aside from two advanced projects in the United States and Australia, however, there are no REE projects advanced enough to meet short-term demand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. U.S. Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Keith R. Long

  2. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO, USA

    Bradley S. Van Gosen

  3. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA

    Nora K. Foley & Daniel Cordier

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  1. Keith R. Long
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  2. Bradley S. Van Gosen
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  4. Daniel Cordier
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Correspondence to Keith R. Long .

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  1. Technology, Dept. Geology & Mineral, Norwegian University of Science &, Alfred Getz Vei 2, Trondheim, 7491, Norway

    Richard Sinding-Larsen

  2. Rohstoffe (BGR), Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und, Stilleweg 2, Hannover, 30655, Germany

    Friedrich-W. Wellmer

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Long, K.R., Van Gosen, B.S., Foley, N.K., Cordier, D. (2012). The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States: A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective. In: Sinding-Larsen, R., Wellmer, FW. (eds) Non-Renewable Resource Issues. International Year of Planet Earth. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8679-2_7

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