Hyderabad’s CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute has discovered an abundance of Rare Earth Elements in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
These Light Rare Earth Elements include Scandium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Niobium, Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, and Yttrium.
Senior principal scientist PV Sunder Raju stated that they found enriched (anomalous) Rare Earth Elements in the rock analyses and the presence of these materials was confirmed.
These elements are a part of the Lanthanide and Actinide series of the Periodic table, along with scandium and yttrium. The elements are the main components in various electronic devices that are used daily, and many other industrial appliances, including aerospace, defense, energy, and medical technology.
Scientist Raju also stated that the manufacturing of permanent magnets is the foremost, largest, and most important end use for REEs.
Permanent magnets are mandatory components for modern electronics and are used in computers, wind turbines, jet aircraft, computers, cell phones, and other devices.
“Because of their luminescent and catalytic properties, REEs are widely used in green products and high technology.” He quoted.
“Europe will require up to 26 times the amount of rare earth metals to reach net zero in 2050. Due to digitization, demand is also increasing,” he said.
This discovery comes under a study under a project called Shallow Subsurface Imaging of India for Resource Exploration (SHORE) which was funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Scientist Sunder Raju said the scientists followed a multi-disciplinary approach for the SHORE.
The scientist also stated that under the project the objective was a detailed understanding of Rare Metals, metallogeny, and assessment of resources, especially from the carbonatite syenite regions of Andhra Pradesh.