ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a brief introduction of rare earths, and the supply and consumption trends. It discusses the environmental implications of the mining and processing, and contrasts these with the uses in manufacturing of low-carbon technologies. The chapter also discusses the challenges of the rare earth market from a broader resource nexus perspective. Rare earths have often been mined as by-products of other metals, such as iron ore, titanium, or uranium. From a resource nexus perspective, this would significantly contribute to minimising pollution export, and ultimately contribute to greening the entire supply chain. The chapter illustrates how individual investors might take myopic investment decisions leading to inefficient uses of materials and technologies. It argues that better coordination of climate change policies beyond sectoral stovepipes within and across countries. The chapter concludes with how sourcing minerals through environmentally dirty processes for the manufacturing of low-carbon technologies causes a dilemma in transitioning to a renewable future.
