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Modern technologies increasingly rely on a diverse group of materials to enable their functionalities. Those materials which are both essential to system performance and at risk of supply disruptions are deemed critical. The prime examples of current critical materials are the rare-earth elements (REE), which deliver immense value in civilian industries, including in renewable energy, chemical catalysis, metallurgy, and advanced manufacturing, and unmatched performance in a long list of military applications. Development and deployment of new technologies in these areas is constrained by concerns about availability of rare earths, the stability of their supply chains and the environmental damage caused by their production. A key to enhancing and stabilizing rare-earth supplies is technology development that will enhance conventional sources of rare earths, as well as unlock unconventional sources at mines and from manufacturing wastes and in end-of-life products - in ways that adequately protect the natural environment and human health. Rare earth elements and critical materials, thus, in general, are being viewed often as isolated chemical substances with their fundamental atomic properties that are used in various applications. However, due to the important role they play in the modern technology as well their geographic distribution, they are considered as new spices of the 21st century.

Volume highlights include:

• Covers the big picture of the interconnectivity between the technical aspects of critical material resource recovery and economics
• Discusses the unconventional sources for REE and their potential role in global market
• Discovers advancements in separation technologies in the era beyond solvent extraction
• Describes history of critical materials and the dramatic increase in the number of elements used in engineered materials, components and systems making REEs the new trading commodities and bargaining chips between countries
• Describes the energy-resource/mineral recovery nexus and future and alternative uses of traditional REE

Rare Earth Elements: Sustainable Processing, Purification, and Recovery is a valuable resource for earth scientists, environmental scientists, sedimentary geochemists, mineralogists, biogeoscientists, economic geologists, and some industrial and government researchers. Besides, chemical engineers, material scientists, environmental engineers, natural resource economists also might find this volume a useful reference.