We turn waste into treeasure.
Rare earth elements (REEs) are key to both the digital and the energy transitions but their sourcing by mining bears significant environmental and geopolitical issues.
Ressource Pressure
The global population is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 (target year of the UN Sustainable Development Goals), leading to a growing need for resources which are unequally distributed.
Foreign Dependency
China dominates the global REE production, contributing to approximately 61% of the REEs mined and 87% of processed REEs traded in the world market. China provided 100% of EU’s supply in heavy REE in 2023.
Limited Supply
To meet our current energy transiton goals, the demand for REEs is expected to increase by 7 fold from 2020 to 2040, which drives mining companies to result to environmentally disastrous projects such as deep sea mining.
Harmful Process
Conventional mining and manufacturing processes of REEs pose risks to human health and the environment, with 1 ton of REEs producing 2,000 tons of toxic waste including 1 ton of radioactive material.
