A vast and largely overlooked source of rare earth metals, materials critical for clean energy, could be in our homes, sitting in the back of our cabinets and junk drawers.
A new study from researchers in China and the Netherlands estimates that reusing or recycling rare earth metals from old cellphones, hard drives, electric motors and turbines could meet as much as 40 percent of the demand for the metals in the United States, China and Europe by 2050.
It’s a promising prospect, particularly for the United States, which relies heavily on imports of these materials, often just called rare earths.
That reliance, industry experts say, can make American supply chains vulnerable to disruption and geopolitical risks.
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China, Netherlands, United States, Europe