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Rare earths pact: Sino-Japan spat may profit India
Rare earths is a generic term for 17 elements that improve metals properties.
Scandium, which is added to aluminum, is used in fighter jets, baseball bats, bicycle frames.
Yttrium is used in LED televisions and for treatment of cancers like lymphoma, leukemia, ovarian, pancreatic and bone cancers.
Lanthanum is used in hybrid cars, electronic vacuum tubes, camera and telescope lenses.
Cerium is used in catalytic converters and often added to diesel fuels. Cerium is also used in the manufacture of glass, magnets and carbon-arc lighting used by film industry.
Neodymium are magnets made with neodymium, and are known to be among the strongest permanent magnets that are currently known, with the ability to lift around 1,000 times more its own weight.
Europium is widely used as a phosphor in LED televisions, computer screens and florescent lamps. The element is also used in screening for genetic diseases, such as Down Syndrome.
Gadolinium is used in nuclear reactors as both a shield and a secondary emergency shutdown mechanism in certain types of reactors; MRI imaging, marine propulsion systems and X-ray systems.
Terbium is used in fuel cells, naval sonar systems and in colour TV tubes.
Holmium is used in powerful magnets as well as nuclear control rods, microwave equipment and medical devices, such as lasers for eye treatment.
The umbrella pact is expected to start in earnest joint development of rare earths metals in India. Also as a strategic move, it brings Japan even closer to India. Rare earths is an opportune marriage of economic and strategic imperatives. India, which has 3.1 million tonnes of rare earths metals, has one of the world's largest reserves. But in 2004, Indian Rare Earths Ltd, a DAE enterprise, stopped production of rare earths because China swept away the market: India was producing REEs for $10 a kg, while China was doing it for $1.50. However, China's decision in 2010 to curb the exports of rare earths metals, particularly to Japan, severely affected Japan's hi-tech manufacturing industry. Rare earths is almost indispensable for touch-screen phones, flat screen TVs, hybrid cars, laser and microwave equipment, fighter jets, cutting edge medical and cancer devices.
The Chinese action proved to be a windfall opportunity for India. A steering committee by secretary mines in 2010 started the process of bringing India back as a major global supplier of REE/ECEs.
It enabled India to re-enter the rare-earths' industry. The Indo-US nuclear deal also helped to open access to some of the new-age technologies that New Delhi might need. A third reason for India's renewed interest in rare earths and energy critical metals stems from the fact that India wants to get into hi-tech manufacturing.
Japan hot footed it to India. Earlier this year, India decided to start a new plant to extract REEs and ECEs from monazite from the beach sands of Odisha, which is expected to be commissioned in December. IREL and Japan's Toyota Tsusho are setting up a second 12,000-tonne monazite processing plant. These plants are expected to produce high-purity RE oxides, including neodymium, used in permanent magnets. In Odisha, the REEs to be produced include lanthanum for hydrogen battery electrodes; and cerium used in catalytic converters etc.
Rare earths’ pact: Sino-Japan spat may profit India - The Times of India
Rare earths is a generic term for 17 elements that improve metals properties.
Scandium, which is added to aluminum, is used in fighter jets, baseball bats, bicycle frames.
Yttrium is used in LED televisions and for treatment of cancers like lymphoma, leukemia, ovarian, pancreatic and bone cancers.
Lanthanum is used in hybrid cars, electronic vacuum tubes, camera and telescope lenses.
Cerium is used in catalytic converters and often added to diesel fuels. Cerium is also used in the manufacture of glass, magnets and carbon-arc lighting used by film industry.
Neodymium are magnets made with neodymium, and are known to be among the strongest permanent magnets that are currently known, with the ability to lift around 1,000 times more its own weight.
Europium is widely used as a phosphor in LED televisions, computer screens and florescent lamps. The element is also used in screening for genetic diseases, such as Down Syndrome.
Gadolinium is used in nuclear reactors as both a shield and a secondary emergency shutdown mechanism in certain types of reactors; MRI imaging, marine propulsion systems and X-ray systems.
Terbium is used in fuel cells, naval sonar systems and in colour TV tubes.
Holmium is used in powerful magnets as well as nuclear control rods, microwave equipment and medical devices, such as lasers for eye treatment.
The umbrella pact is expected to start in earnest joint development of rare earths metals in India. Also as a strategic move, it brings Japan even closer to India. Rare earths is an opportune marriage of economic and strategic imperatives. India, which has 3.1 million tonnes of rare earths metals, has one of the world's largest reserves. But in 2004, Indian Rare Earths Ltd, a DAE enterprise, stopped production of rare earths because China swept away the market: India was producing REEs for $10 a kg, while China was doing it for $1.50. However, China's decision in 2010 to curb the exports of rare earths metals, particularly to Japan, severely affected Japan's hi-tech manufacturing industry. Rare earths is almost indispensable for touch-screen phones, flat screen TVs, hybrid cars, laser and microwave equipment, fighter jets, cutting edge medical and cancer devices.
The Chinese action proved to be a windfall opportunity for India. A steering committee by secretary mines in 2010 started the process of bringing India back as a major global supplier of REE/ECEs.
It enabled India to re-enter the rare-earths' industry. The Indo-US nuclear deal also helped to open access to some of the new-age technologies that New Delhi might need. A third reason for India's renewed interest in rare earths and energy critical metals stems from the fact that India wants to get into hi-tech manufacturing.
Japan hot footed it to India. Earlier this year, India decided to start a new plant to extract REEs and ECEs from monazite from the beach sands of Odisha, which is expected to be commissioned in December. IREL and Japan's Toyota Tsusho are setting up a second 12,000-tonne monazite processing plant. These plants are expected to produce high-purity RE oxides, including neodymium, used in permanent magnets. In Odisha, the REEs to be produced include lanthanum for hydrogen battery electrodes; and cerium used in catalytic converters etc.
Rare earths’ pact: Sino-Japan spat may profit India - The Times of India
