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ARMY AL&T


Rare-earth elements are widely used in strong, permanent magnets that are impervious to temperature extremes. Te permanent magnets are used in fin actuators (which control flight patterns in missiles) in missile guidance and control systems; disk drive motors installed in aircraft and tanks; satellite communi- cations; and radar and sonar systems. Samarium-cobalt magnets are more resistant to demagnetization than those made from any other material. Tis quality—called high coercivity—means that they do not lose magnetic strength when exposed to high temperatures. Tat makes them the best choice for many military applications, according to Air Force Lt. Col. Justin C. Davey, in a 2011 Air War College report. Neodymium-iron-boron magnets are very strong, light and relatively low-cost. By weight, they are almost 10 times more powerful than traditional ferrite magnets. Tat makes them ideal for use in the tiny electronic components such as disk drives that have helped make possible decades of computer-driven innovation.


HOW DID WE GET HERE? For most of the 20th century, the United States was largely self-sufficient, with all of its rare-earth needs being met at the Mountain Pass rare-earth mine in California. Tis began to shift in the 1990s as a result of several factors.


First, China entered into a number of free trade agreements with the United States and, with its lower labor costs and regula- tory requirements, became a less-expensive alternative supplier. Second, China greatly expanded its electronics manufactur- ing infrastructure to take advantage of its rare-earth resources. Finally, problems with water supply pollution and stricter regu- lations at Mountain Pass forced the eventual shutdown of the plant. Tese factors created an opportunity for the Chinese to establish dominance in rare-earth mining and production. (See Figure 2, Page 93.)


Chinese efforts to monopolize rare earth do not end with domes- tic sources. China has aggressively pursued rare-earth mines in Africa, often exchanging infrastructure development or the sale of excess defense articles for exclusive mining rights. In the Demo- cratic Republic of the Congo, China gained rights to the country’s lithium, cobalt and coltan mines. Tese minerals are used in elec- tric vehicle batteries and electronics, including smartphones and laptops. In exchange, China agreed to build much-needed proj- ects such as urban roads, highways and hospitals.


Kenya is another Chinese target. Te East African nation has huge mineral potential, and its exploration efforts have picked up in the last five years with the awarding of commercial licenses in prospecting for oil, gold, coal, geothermal minerals and rare


RARE EARTHS UNDER THE SEA


Experts claim that a recently discovered deposit of rare-earth minerals—estimated at 16 million tons—near Japan’s Minamitori Island has the potential to meet demand for more than 400 years. However, the technology to extract the minerals from the ocean floor doesn’t yet exist. (Image courtesy of the author)


https://asc.ar my.mil


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