Image courtesy of University of Utah
Lately, the news of rare earth element mining has been focused on extraction in areas previously untouched. Meaning that even more earth will have to be moved and mined to gain access to these crucial metals.
What if rare earth elements could be extracted from already existing mines where the infrastructure is developed and the land already disturbed?
Researchers from the University of Utah are studying the feasibility and potential of extracting rare earth elements from existing coal mines.
Dr. Lauren Birgenheier, associate professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Utah, discusses this potential new source.
