Sustainability of rare earth elements consumption in a circular economy perspective

Abstract

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) play a crucial role in emerging high technologies in the information and telecommunication industries, as well as the renewable and energy efficiency sectors. They are essential for achieving high speed, performance, durability, and low carbon emissions in these industries due to their unique chemical and physical properties. The growing environmental concerns and increasing demand for REEs, combined with limited sourcing locations, pose a significant risk of supply disruption. Despite this threat, there is a lack of comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact and benefits of sustainable consumption of these metals, especially in terms of improving resource efficiency strategies. To address these challenges, a study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability of REEs consumption in Australia using a holistic and systematic approach based on the circular economy (CE) model. This involved developing a sustainability framework and an implementation strategy to close the material loop and minimise the adverse impacts of resource shortages while maximising environmental benefits. The study included (a) analysing the life cycle of REEs material consumption, (b) conducting a material flow analysis to link resource use to environmental impacts, and (c) considering interactions between people and the environment. Key metrics for resource efficiency in a sustainable development framework, including materials use, energy demand, and greenhouse gas emissions, were used to determine the potential environmental impacts. The study's findings are significant as they enable the evaluation of existing resource efficiency strategies for REEs and provide recommendations to enhance sustainability outcomes in Australia for global uptake. The study demonstrates the application of circular economy as a sustainable strategy to mitigate and transform resource use to minimise environmental and socio-economic impacts by improving resource efficiency and promoting sustainable consumption patterns.