An Unexpected Discovery Just Uncovered Metals Tech Companies Are Desperate for
Arthur T Knackerbracket writes:
https://www.slashgear.com/2116892/canada-discovery-botswana-rare-earth-minerals-tech-companies-want/
Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 metallic elements that are increasingly important in the modern world. This importance is fueling an increasing global demand for these essential commodities. The figures speak for themselves: Worldwide REE production reached 390,000 metric tons in 2024 - nearly triple the level recorded in 2017. Currently, the vast majority of these important minerals are mined in China, which produced 69% of the total production in 2024.
Now, a new discovery by Canadian company Tsodilo Resources Limited could bring a new player into the market - Botswana. This is important, as much of the modern world relies on these elements. Technologies like wind turbines, telecommunication systems, the defense industry, and many high-tech consumer industries all rely on them, including in the rare earth magnets used in electric vehicles.
In an announcement, Tsodilo said that drilling at its Gcwihaba Metals Project identified high-grade mineralization at two exploration targets known as C26 and C27. The deposit, located at depths of between 20 and 50 meters (66 and 164 feet) below the surface, is located in what geologists call a skarn system - a type of metamorphic rock formation that's been altered by hot and chemically active fluids like magma.
Company data indicates that the deposit contains all 15 REEs listed as critical by the U.S. Geological Survey, along with more common metals like copper, cobalt, nickel, and silver. The project remains in the exploration stage, with further drilling planned to define its full scale.
Despite the name, rare earths are not actually that rare. For instance, cerium - an element used in catalytic converters - is actually the planet's 25th most abundant element. However, what is rare is finding REEs in high enough concentrations that mining becomes viable. The initial findings from the Gcwihaba sites suggest that this is one of these rare instances.
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