China’s New Technology for Sustainable Rare Earth Mining: A Review of Key Claims and Implications

Highlights

• Chinese scientists develop innovative electrokinetic mining (EKM) technology to sustainably extract rare earth elements with 95% recovery rate.
• The new method reduces leaching agent use by 80%.
• Mining time was reduced by 70%.
• Energy consumption was reduced by 60%, offering significant environmental benefits.
• Research highlights the geopolitical implications of sustainable rare earth mining technologies.
• Potential challenges to global supply chains are anticipated.

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Researchers at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (opens in a new tab) (CAS), have developed an electrokinetic mining (EKM) technology to sustainably extract rare earth elements (REEs) from ion-adsorption deposits (IADs). Published in Nature Sustainability (opens in a new tab), the study claims the new method reduces environmental impacts and enhances efficiency compared to traditional ammonium-salt-based techniques, which have caused severe ecological damage. The EKM technology boasts a 95% REE recovery rate while cutting leaching agent use by 80%, mining time by 70%, and energy consumption by 60%. Industrial-scale tests also reported a 95% reduction in ammonia-nitrogen emissions in groundwater, underscoring its environmental benefits.

While the technology promises greener and more efficient mining, the article assumes that industrial-scale challenges, such as electrode durability and leachate leakage, have been adequately addressed. However, it lacks discussion on scalability and the costs of widespread adoption. Additionally, it does not critically explore how such advancements might further entrench China’s dominance in the rare earth market, potentially exacerbating global supply chain vulnerabilities.

Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry

For the West and the U.S., this breakthrough highlights the urgency of developing competitive, sustainable mining technologies to reduce dependence on China, which currently controls over 90% of the global heavy REE supply.

The innovation underscores the need for greater investment in research, public-private partnerships, and supply chain diversification in Western nations. If unchallenged, China’s advancements in sustainable REE mining could solidify its geopolitical leverage in critical industries dependent on these elements, including technology, defense, and clean energy.

Author	Institution
Gaofeng Wang	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jianxi Zhu (opens in a new tab) Corresponding Author	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Xiaoliang Liang	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Bowen Ling	Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy ofSciences, Beijing, China School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jie Xu	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of ChineseAcademy of Sciences, Beijing,China
Yongqiang Yang	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Shichang Kang	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Wei Tan	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Yongjin Xu	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Xiaoshan Zou	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy andMetallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Lingyu Ran	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics andMaterial, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Jingming Wei	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CASCenter for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Hongping He	CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Material, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou, China University of ChineseAcademy of Sciences, Beijing, China