Securing a stable supply of critical raw metals

Abstract

In the early 21st century, metal prices soared due to the economic development of newly industrialized countries. Moreover, a rareearth resource crisis occurred between 2009 and 2012 due to export restrictions imposed by China. Against this background, AIST set up a research base for critical metal resources, and established collaborative relationships with some foreign geological survey agencies (GS) from 2010. Furthermore, joint surveys were conducted with GS of South Africa, United States, Brazil, Mongolia, and others. While undertaking these surveys, we found a promising prospect for heavy rare-earth in South Africa. After the autumn of 2011, however, the prices of rare-earths collapsed, and the majority of rare-earth exploration/mining programs worldwide were put on hold. This sequence of events revealed the risks that accompany the development of critical metal resources. To mitigate the impact of future crises, AIST should continue research and development of rare-earth resources.