Critical Rare Earth Elements

Government Reports

According to the 2011 Critical Materials Report issued from the U.S. Department of Energy, five of the rare earth elements were found to be critical in terms of supply risk in the short term (present – 2015) and into the medium term (2015–2025). As shown in the criticality matrices below, those elements deemed critical are: Dysprosium, Europium, Neodymium, Terbium, and Yttrium.

2011 Critical Materials Strategy, U.S. Department of Energy, December 2011, 4, Web. 10 April 2012. < http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/DOE_CMS2011_FINAL_Full.pdf >

For more on the need for rare earth elements, please refer to the U.S. Department of Energy’s report: 2011 Critical Materials Strategy.

 

Supply and Demand of Critical Rare Earth Elements

Global supply and demand projections of the five critical rare earth elements (CREEs) are shown in the following U.S. Department of Energy charts. Assumptions for estimating future trajectories (A, B, C, and D) of material demand are:

DoE CREO Trajectories 2011

DoE CREO Trajectories 2011

 

2011 Critical Materials Strategy, U.S. Department of Energy, December 2011, Dysprosium p. 96, Europium p. 106, Neodymium p. 90, Terbium p. 107, and Yttrium p. 108. Web. 10 April 2012. <http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/DOE_CMS2011_FINAL_Full.pdf >

For more on the supply and demand of rare earth elements, please refer to the U.S. Department of Energy’s report: 2011 Critical Materials Strategy.