<h5>Where has Europe’s largest deposit of rare earth elements been discovered?</h5>  <p>The Swedish state-owned mining company LKAB announced that it has discovered more than one million tonnes of rare earth elements (REE) in the Kiruna area of Sweden. This is the largest known deposit that has been found in Europe. REEs are presently not mined in Europe.</p>
<p>So, the region has to rely on imports from overseas. The demand for REEs is predicted to increase in the coming years due to an increase in electric vehicles and renewable energy. The European Commission considers REEs one of the region's most critical resources. Sweden is viewed as an important part of the European Union's goal for mineral self-sufficiency.</p>
<p>Presently, China mines the majority of REEs. This discovery can reduce Europe's dependency on China for these important REEs. However, LKAB stated that it will be at least 10-15 years before it can possibly begin mining the deposit and supplying it to the market.
</p> <h5>What are rare earth elements, and what are their uses?</h5>  <p>The term "rare earth elements" refers to a set of 17 chemically related elements that are essential in the production of numerous high-tech products. Despite their name, most are plentiful in nature yet dangerous to extract.</p>
<p>REEs are used in components of over 200 consumer devices, including cell phones, electric vehicles, flatscreen TVs and monitors, and high-end electronics. Some REEs are used in large quantities in the clean energy and defence industries.</p>
<p>Certain REEs are used to create a wide range of displays, from smartphone displays to stadium scoreboards. Some REEs are also used in LED lighting. They are also used to refine petroleum and to make magnets that are used in computer hard disks, CD–ROMs, etc.
</p> <h5>Are rare earth elements found in India?</h5>  <p>The mining and processing of REEs are complex and use a lot of energy. It also generates radioactive waste. So, only a few countries have been able to establish the REE industry. Initially, REE mining and processing were concentrated in the United States of America (USA). Later, it shifted to China. Since then, China has become the largest REE supplier.</p>
<p>India also has large REE reserves. With about 7 million tonnes of REE reserves, India ranks fifth in the world. In the 1950s, India began attempts to create domestic REE production capability by establishing the Indian Rare Earth Ltd (IREL) for REE mining and processing. Despite its large reserves, India has been unable to develop the REE industry.</p>
<p>Due to extremely low domestic REE supply, Indian manufacturers must import REEs from China to meet the domestic demand for consumer electronics. So, the Indian government must find ways to mine the REE reserves found in India.</p>

Humans use a number of natural resources for a variety of purposes. Some of them are rare earth elements. A huge deposit of rare earth elements was recently discovered in Europe. Let’s read to find out more.

Europe’s Largest Deposit of Rare Earth Elements Found

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Europe’s Largest Deposit of Rare Earth Elements Found

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