Arafura - Uran, Thorium, Phosphat und Rare Earth im N.T. ( Seite 2000)

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/rare_earths…
128
RARE EARTHS1
[Data in metric tons of rare-earth oxide (REO) content unless otherwise noted]

Domestic Production and Use: In 2009, rare earths were not mined in the United States; however, rare-earth concentrates previously produced at Mountain Pass, CA, were processed into lanthanum concentrate and didymium (75% neodymium, 25% praseodymium) products. Rare-earth concentrates, intermediate compounds, and individual oxides were available from stocks. The United States continued to be a major consumer, exporter, and importer of rare-earth products in 2009. The estimated value of refined rare earths imported by the United States in 2009 was $84 million, a decrease from $186 million imported in 2008. Based on final 2008 reported data, the estimated 2008 distribution of rare earths by end use, in decreasing order, was as follows: metallurgical applications and alloys, 29%; electronics, 18%; chemical catalysts, 14%; rare-earth phosphors for computer monitors, lighting, radar, televisions, and x-ray-intensifying film, 12%; automotive catalytic converters, 9%; glass polishing and ceramics, 6%; permanent magnets, 5%; petroleum refining catalysts, 4%; and other, 3%.

Salient Statistics—United States: 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009e
Production, bastnäsite concentrates — — — — —
Imports:2
Thorium ore (monazite or various thorium materials) — — — — 20
Rare-earth metals, alloy 880 867 784 679 210
Cerium compounds 2,170 2,590 2,680 2,080 1,190
Mixed REOs 640 1,570 2,570 2,390 2,760
Rare-earth chlorides 2,670 2,750 1,610 1,310 390
Rare-earth oxides, compounds 8,550 10,600 9,900 8,740 2,160
Ferrocerium, alloys 130 127 123 125 100
Exports:2
Thorium ore (monazite or various thorium materials) — — 1 61 23
Rare-earth metals, alloys 636 733 1,470 1,390 6,500
Cerium compounds 2,210 2,010 1,470 1,380 690
Other rare-earth compounds 2,070 2,700 1,300 663 420
Ferrocerium, alloys 4,320 3,710 3,210 4,490 2,540
Consumption, apparent (excludes thorium ore) 6,060 9,350 10,200 7,410 (3)
Price, dollars per kilogram, yearend:
Bastnäsite concentrate, REO basise 5.51 6.06 6.61 8.82 5.73
Monazite concentrate, REO basise 0.54 0.87 0.87 0.87 0.87
Mischmetal, metal basis, metric ton quantity4 5-6 5-6 7-8 8-9 8-9
Stocks, producer and processor, yearend W W W W W
Employment, mine and mill, number at yearend 71 65 70 100 110
Net import reliance5 as a percentage of
apparent consumption 100 100 100 100 100

Recycling: Small quantities, mostly permanent magnet scrap.

Import Sources (2005-08): Rare-earth metals, compounds, etc.: China, 91%; France, 3%; Japan, 3%; Russia, 1%; and other, 2%.
Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations
12-31-09

Thorium ores and concentrates (monazite) 2612.20.0000 Free.
Rare-earth metals, whether or
not intermixed or interalloyed 2805.30.0000 5.0% ad val.
Cerium compounds 2846.10.0000 5.5% ad val.
Mixtures of REOs (except cerium oxide) 2846.90.2010 Free.
Mixtures of rare-earth chlorides
(except cerium chloride) 2846.90.2050 Free.
Rare-earth compounds, individual
REOs (excludes cerium compounds) 2846.90.8000 3.7% ad val.
Ferrocerium and other pyrophoric alloys 3606.90.3000 5.9% ad val.
Depletion Allowance: Monazite, 22% on thorium content and 14% on rare-earth content (Domestic), 14% (Foreign); bastnäsite and xenotime, 14% (Domestic and foreign).

Government Stockpile: None.
Prepared by James B. Hedrick [(703) 648-7725, jhedrick@usgs.gov, fax: (703) 648-7757]


129
RARE EARTHS
Events, Trends, and Issues: Domestic consumption of rare earths in 2009 decreased substantially, based on apparent consumption (derived from 8 months of trade data). Only one of seven rare-earth import categories increased when compared with those of 2008—the category “mixtures of REOs (except cerium oxide).” Prices were generally lower in 2009 compared with those of 2008 for most rare-earth products amid decreased consumption and a declining supply. Consumption for most rare-earth uses in the United States decreased as a consequence of the worldwide economic downturn. The economic downturn lowered consumption of cerium compounds used in automotive catalytic converters and in glass additives and glass-polishing compounds; rare-earth chlorides used in the production of fluid-cracking catalysts used in oil refining; rare-earth compounds used in automotive catalytic converters and many other applications; rare-earth metals and their alloys used in armaments, base-metal alloys, lighter flints, permanent magnets, pyrophoric alloys, and superalloys; yttrium compounds used in color televisions and flat-panel displays, electronic thermometers, fiber optics, lasers, and oxygen sensors; and phosphors for color televisions, electronic thermometers, fluorescent lighting, pigments, superconductors, x-ray-intensifying screens, and other applications. The trend is for a continued increase in the use of rare earths in many applications, especially automotive catalytic converters, permanent magnets, and rechargeable batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles.
The rare-earth separation plant at Mountain Pass, CA, resumed operations in 2007 and continued to operate throughout 2009. Bastnäsite concentrates and other rare-earth intermediates and refined products continued to be sold from mine stocks at Mountain Pass. Exploration for rare earths continued in 2009; however, global economic conditions were not as favorable as in early 2008. Economic assessments continued at Bear Lodge in Wyoming; Diamond Creek in Idaho; Elk Creek in Nebraska; Hoidas Lake in Saskatchewan, Canada; Nechalacho (Thor Lake) in Northwest Territories, Canada; Kangankunde in Malawi; Lemhi Pass in Idaho-Montana; Nolans Project in Northern Territory, Australia; and various other locations around the world. At the Mount Weld rare-earth deposit in Australia, the initial phase of mining of the open pit was completed in June 2008. A total of 773,000 tons of ore was mined at an average grade of 15.4% REO; however, no beneficiation plant existed to process the ore into a rare-earth concentrate. Based on the fine-grained character of the Mt. Weld ore, only 50% recovery of the REO was expected.

World Mine Production and Reserves: Reserves data for Australia, China, and India were updated based on data from the respective countries.

Mine productione Reserves6
2008 2009
United States — — 13,000,000
Australia — — 5,400,000
Brazil 650 650 48,000
China 120,000 120,000 36,000,000
Commonwealth of Independent States NA NA 19,000,000
India 2,700 2,700 3,100,000
Malaysia 380 380 30,000
Other countries NA NA 22,000,000
World total (rounded) 124,000 124,000 99,000,000

World Resources: Rare earths are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, but discovered minable concentrations are less common than for most other ores. U.S. and world resources are contained primarily in bastnäsite and monazite. Bastnäsite deposits in China and the United States constitute the largest percentage of the world’s rare-earth economic resources, while monazite deposits in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United States constitute the second largest segment. Apatite, cheralite, eudialyte, loparite, phosphorites, rare-earth-bearing (ion adsorption) clays, secondary monazite, spent uranium solutions, and xenotime make up most of the remaining resources. Undiscovered resources are thought to be very large relative to expected demand.

Substitutes: Substitutes are available for many applications but generally are less effective.
eEstimated. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data. — Zero.
1Data include lanthanides and yttrium but exclude most scandium. See also Scandium and Yttrium.
2REO equivalent or contents of various materials were estimated. Data from U.S. Census Bureau.
3Without drawdown in producer stocks (withheld), apparent consumption calculations in 2009 resulted in a negative number.
4Price range from Elements—Rare Earths, Specialty Metals and Applied Technology, Trade Tech, Denver, CO, and Web-based High Tech Materials, Longmont, CO, and Hefa Rare Earth Canada Co. Ltd., Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
5Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. For 2007 through 2009, excludes producer stock changes.
6See Appendix C for definitions. Reserve base estimates were discontinued in 2009; see Introduction.
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2010

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