China Makes Historic Discovery Of 1.15 Million Tons Of Rare Earths In Yunnan And Consolidates Global Dominance In The Technology Industry

Written by Carla Teles

Published on 18/01/2025 at 14:34

Updated on 18/01/2025 at 14:36

A China controla a maior parte das terras raras do mundo, essenciais para fabricar tecnologias avançadas. Com essa nova descoberta, o país fica ainda mais forte nesse mercado estratégico.

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With the discovery of a giant rare earth deposit in Honghe, Yunnan, estimated at 1.15 million tons, including more than 470,000 tons of praseodymium and neodymium, China reinforces its strategic power over essential resources for high-tech, electric vehicles, and renewable energy.

China, a giant in mineral resource exploration, has just found a true hidden treasure. In Honghe, in the province of Yunnan, geologists discovered a colossal rare earth deposit estimated at 1.15 million tons. You might be wondering: why is this so important? Well, these minerals are the invisible pillars of modern technology, powering everything from smartphones to electric cars. Let’s explore the impact of this discovery!

What Are Rare Earths and Why Are They So Valuable?

Rare earths are not so “rare” after all, but their concentration in exploitable deposits is what makes them special. With hard-to-pronounce names like praseodymium and neodymium, these minerals are essential for high-tech applications. Can you imagine a world without electric motors or wind turbines? Indeed, it would be impossible without these elements.

Praseodymium and neodymium, estimated at over 470,000 tons in the new deposit, are the silent heroes behind super-powerful magnets used in the renewable energy industry and the automotive sector. With this discovery, China reinforces its dominance in a vital market for the global energy transition.

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The Discovery in Honghe: Details of the New Deposit

Yunnan is a province in southern China, known for its mountainous landscapes and rich biodiversity. Now, it also stands out for housing a huge rare earth deposit.

According to the Chinese Geological Service, this deposit is one of the largest of its kind in ion adsorption. In other words, the minerals are “trapped” in clay, making their extraction less impactful on the environment. This is a win not only for the industry but also for sustainability.

Unlike traditional methods that involve deep digging and damaging the soil, ion adsorption minerals can be extracted more cleanly. It’s like picking ripe fruits straight from the tree, but on an industrial scale.

The Global Impact of the New Discovery

This discovery puts China in an even stronger position in the global rare earth market, which it already dominates comfortably. After all, with 44 million tons in deposits, the country is the undisputed leader in this sector.

While other countries try to find alternatives or develop recycling technologies, China continues to extend its lead. This means that, in the short term, global reliance on China is only likely to grow.

A Golden Year for Mineral Exploration in China

2024 was a spectacular year for Chinese mining. Besides the deposit in Yunnan, the country also discovered new rare minerals in Inner Mongolia and a gigantic gold field in Hunan. These advances consolidate China as a superpower in natural resources.

With this discovery, China not only strengthens its economy but also solidifies its role as a global leader in energy transition. But the question remains: will the rest of the world be able to keep up with the pace?

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Cesar

#116668

23/01/2025 09:52

Se é verdade, isso não saberemos nunca! Pod m tá apenas anunciando pra justificar o desvio de que extraem em outros lugares mundo agora, principalmente aqui do Brasil, investiguem que vão saber o que tô dizendo. Só na Bahia são várias mineradoras se passando por outros minérios e levando pra china ilegalmente…

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Samuel severo

#116337

22/01/2025 18:34

A china esta SEMPRE surpeendendo o mundo

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Paulo

#116284

22/01/2025 15:37

Só acredito vendo. É uma jogada para cair o preço do ouro no mercado internacional, e assim a china compra todo o ouro que puder, e fica no domínio desse mercado, passando a vender o ouro a quem pagar mais.

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China Makes Historic Discovery Of 1.15 Million Tons Of Rare Earths In Yunnan And Consolidates Global Dominance In The Technology Industry

With the discovery of a giant rare earth deposit in Honghe, Yunnan, estimated at 1.15 million tons, including more than 470,000 tons of praseodymium and neodymium, China reinforces its strategic power over essential resources for high-tech, electric vehicles, and renewable energy.

What Are Rare Earths and Why Are They So Valuable?

The Discovery in Honghe: Details of the New Deposit

The Global Impact of the New Discovery

A Golden Year for Mineral Exploration in China

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China Makes Historic Discovery Of 1.15 Million Tons Of Rare Earths In Yunnan And Consolidates Global Dominance In The Technology Industry

With the discovery of a giant rare earth deposit in Honghe, Yunnan, estimated at 1.15 million tons, including more than 470,000 tons of praseodymium and neodymium, China reinforces its strategic power over essential resources for high-tech, electric vehicles, and renewable energy.

What Are Rare Earths and Why Are They So Valuable?

The Discovery in Honghe: Details of the New Deposit

The Global Impact of the New Discovery

A Golden Year for Mineral Exploration in China

Gaddafi built the world’s largest artificial river under the Sahara — it’s 4,000 km of giant pipes that pump 40,000-year-old fossil water to entire cities in Libya.

The Soviet Union spent 22 years drilling into the Earth’s crust and reached a depth of 12,262 meters — they found water where it was thought impossible, hydrogen bubbling from the rock, granite that is 2.7 billion years old, and temperatures of 180 degrees that melted the drill bits.

Discovery in Africa scares even scientists: a study published on April 23 reveals that the crust in Turkana has become so thin that it could pave the way for the continent’s division and the emergence of an ocean in the future, in a gigantic geological transformation.

A German architect built a cylindrical house in 1994 that rotates to follow the sun throughout the day, generates 5 times more energy than it consumes, and was the world’s first energy-positive house.

During works to build an artificial island in Indonesia, workers dredged 5 million cubic meters of sand from the seabed and found over 6,000 fossils from a lost continent that submerged 10,000 years ago.

Brazil spent R$ 1.9 billion on a giant bridge to Paraguay, and it is already finished, but no one can use it properly because the access points are not ready, and traffic remains blocked months later.

Trump breaks a 20-year environmental barrier and puts copper and nickel mining back at the doorstep of the Boundary Waters, one of the most sensitive natural areas in the U.S., reigniting the clash between critical minerals, clean water, and the risk of irreversible damage in northern Minnesota.

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Avian flu returns to the radar of Brazilian agribusiness after FAO alert for Latin America, with more than 4,700 outbreaks since 2022 and direct risk to exports, farms, and health surveillance.

An expert says that teaching critical thinking from early adolescence can protect children and young people from the risks of social media, reduce vulnerability to scams, disinformation, and anxiety, and also develop creativity, autonomy, and skills increasingly valued in the job market.

A fossil remained forgotten for 70 years in a museum drawer — when re-examined with tomography, they discovered a 200-million-year-old predator with a bite that challenges what was known about crocodiles.