Dec 17 2009
A new method has been discovered by scientists at University of Leeds to extract substantial amount of rare-earth oxides that are present in titanium dioxide minerals. The rare-earth oxides are essential for application in green technologies, such as for manufacture of wind turbines, hybrid and electric cars and energy-efficient lighting. This material is extracted or reclaimed from industrial waste materials cheaply.
China holds more than 95% of world’s reserves of rare earth metals and commands a monopoly in the global market. The demand for the material is increasing across the world. If the new technology is adopted to manufacture the rare-earth oxides in industrial scale, the monopoly could be broken.
Professor Animesh Jha, who led the project at Leeds, said that apart from green technologies, these materials are also used in electronics and engines of cars, nuclear industry and defense. He further added that these materials are widely in used in many cutting-edge technologies and the demand will soon outstrip supply.
Animesh Jha said that the lack of this vital resource could impact the development of green technologies. He added that the new process, which adopts green technology for manufacturing rare-earth oxides, could bridge this gap.
Professor Animesh Jha and his team had discovered this process while improving another patented industrial process that the team had developed earlier to extract higher quantities of titanium dioxide. This new technology not only eliminates hazardous waste but also it reduces emissions and cuts costs.
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Cristal Global in US (formerly Millennium Inorganic Chemicals) had funded this research project.
Source: http://www.leeds.ac.uk