Rare Earth Elements: A Review of Production, Processing ...

Rare Earth Elements Review Section 2 – Introduction to Rare Earth Elements
Figure 2-3. In-use stocks of selected REEs by specific application or industry (in gigagrams)
(Du and Graedel, 2011).
Table 2-3. Distribution of REEs by End Use in 2008 (U.S. DOI/USGS, 2010)
End Use Percentage
Metallurgical applications and alloys 29%
Electronics 18%
Chemical catalysts 14%
Rare earth phosphors for computer monitors, lighting, radar, televisions, and X-rayintensifying
film
Automotive catalytic converters 9%
Glass polishing and ceramics 6%
Permanent magnets 5%
Petroleum refining catalysts 4%
Other 3%
2.4 REE Global Economic Supply and Demand
From the 1960s until the 1980s, the United States was the world leader in REO production. In fact, in
1984, the Mountain Pass Mine in California supplied 100 percent of U.S. demand and 33 percent of the
world’s demand for rare earths. In the late 1970s, China started increasing production of REEs, and as
illustrated in Figure 2-4, rapidly became the world’s dominant producer. With the shutdown of the
Mountain Pass Mine in 2002 and little development in other countries, China became the world’s leading
producer of REEs and is currently responsible for more than 95 percent of global production.
2-7
12%