Scientists from the CSIR-National Geophysical research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad have discovered that Andhra Pradesh city of Anantpur has Light Rare Earth Elements (REE).
The city of Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh possesses huge concentrations of 15 Rare Earth Elements (REE), According to the National Geophysical Research Institute of Hyderabad.
In a wide range of industrial applications, such as aerospace, defence, and medical technology, REE is a crucial component.
Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Yttrium, Hafnium, Tantalum, Niobium, Zirconium, and Scandium are minerals that contain the light rare earth elements.
According to senior principal scientist at NGRI Dr, PV Sunder Raju, “We identified strong anomalous (enriched) Light Rare Elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Y, Nb and Ta) in whole rock studies, indicating the minerals containing these REE.”
Together with scandium and yttrium, REE are 15 elements that make up the lanthanide and actinide series of the periodic table of elements.
The largest and most significant end application of REEs, according to Dr. PV Sunder Raju, is the production of permanent magnets.
REE elements are utilised in the production of permanent magnets, a vital component of contemporary electronics, wind turbines, jet aircraft, and many other goods in the fields of electronics, clean energy, aerospace, automotive, and defence.
“By 2050, Europe will need up to 26 times more rare earth metals than it does today in order to achieve net zero. Digitalisation has increased demand as well, he told PTI.
The council of scientific and Industrial research (CSIR-India) supported the study led to the discovery of the REEs as part of a project called SHORE (Shallow subsurface Imaging of India for Resource Exploration).
According to PTI, his concentration was on “Deep understanding of RM (Rare Metals) -REE metallogeny, appraisal of resources, and identification of economically viable sites, particularly from the carbonatite-syenite complexes of Andhra Pradesh.”
After the REEs are found, deep drilling for a distance of at least one Km will be done to determine the consistency of REE presence in the depths.
