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Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements mined in ores containing low quantities of REEs. They are a critical raw material for high-tech industries. REEs are imported into the European Union from a very limited number of producers. Alternatives to the primary supply of REEs are being developed to bring relief to the market. Recycling of REEs, from materials used in spent products, provides a secondary supply but closing the REE "life-cycle" is a technological challenge.

Our climate is rapidly changing, and to lower the risk of crossing a tipping point where dangerous climate change will be irreversible, greenhouse gas emissions must decrease rapidly within the coming decade and eventually be eliminated in a few decades ahead. To accomplish this, we will inevitably have to abandon fossil fuels and shift towards renewable energy systems, such as photovoltaic cells and wind turbines. Recent events have however indicated that the supply of raw materials used in advanced ...