未来的稀土资源

The future of rare earth resources

随着高新技术和绿色技术发展引发日益增长的稀土需求,以及近几年中国稀土产业政策的调整,触发了国际矿业界前所未有的找稀土矿热潮。对国外稀土勘查和开发项目的跟踪观察可知,处于活跃状态的40多个稀土项目查明稀土氧化物资源量在4000万t以上。其中,美国芒廷帕斯、澳大利亚韦尔德山、越南东堡、南非斯迪坎普、吉尔吉斯斯坦库赛特等稀土项目正在建设或已经投产,预计3年内可形成稀土氧化物的产能为4～6万t·a-1。跟踪研究表明,未来的稀土资源总量并不稀缺,但品位高、易选冶的优质资源少,因此,稀土选冶和分离技术的进步是未来稀土行业竞争的关键。

. Global exploration and development of rare earths upsurge as the increasing demand of rare earths caused by advanced and green technology as well as the adjustment of China＇ s rare earth industry policy. Follow up traeing overseas rare earths mineral ex- ploration and development projects, it is known that more than 40 rare earths projeets are activated, whose total mineral resources of RE0 exceed 40 million tones. Among those projects, Mountain Pass deposit at USA, Mount Weld deposit at Australia, Dongpao at Vi- etnam, Steenkampskraal at South Africa and Kutessay ]I at Kyrgyzstan are in development stages or in operation stages. It is predica- ted that the total production capacities of these rare earth deposits will reach 40 - 60 thousands of tons REO per yearwithin next three years. The follow - up research indieates that the total of rare earth resourees are sufficient in comparison with rare earths demand, but the rare earth deposits with high - grade of REO and easily extracted and smelted are scarce. Therefore, the key of future＇ s competition of rare earth industry is the ore extraction and ore separation technology.