Rare Earths and the Industry
While the price of oil is creating issues for the US, the coming storm maybe more in rare earths minerals than oil. Lanthanum is used in catalysts for breaking down petroleum into gasoline and other products in a process called fluid catalytic cracking, the largest application for rare earths. The minerals are also used to make computer disk drives, flat screen TVs, cell phones, military radar, missile-guidance systems and electric-vehicle batteries. The Chinese have restricted the sale and export of many rare earths causing multiple increases in price and potential shortages. At times it has been reported that there is less then a nine month supply of Lanthanum which is dwindling. Even though the Mountain Pass Mine in California is in the process of being re-opened to provide many different types of rare earths, including Lanthanum, the timing of actual production may not coincide when the actual shortages occur. For the petroleum industry this should be a serious concern.
