Khaberni - In all of our homes lies a precious treasure, whose real value we do not understand despite our constant use of it and our tongues' inability to properly pronounce its name — it is the rare element neodymium, hidden at the bottom of the periodic table of elements despite its astronomical value.
A report by CNN highlighted this vital and essential element in everyone's life, as it is constantly present in the manufacture of magnets monopolized by China, thanks to its rich abundance of neodymium.
Despite its different uses and their prevalence among all people, often unconsciously, it remains a primary reason for the trade war between the United States and China.
From vehicles to air conditioners
Regarding its prominent uses before discussing the reason it has turned into a commercial weapon between the two largest economies in the world, the report states that it forms 30% of the mass of the permanent magnet and is involved in the operation of all types of engines, starting from car engines to the simple engines that operate windshield wipers, reaching up to complex engines in electric cars, and many household electric devices such as air conditioners, in addition to jet aircraft engines and wind turbines.
One of the most prominent reasons that makes neodymium important and vital, unlike traditional magnets, lies in the maintenance of its effective power when its magnets are exposed to the continuous electric current used to operate and halt engines.
A weapon of war
The element has entered the fray of the trade war between the United States and China along with other rare earth elements, due to the large part of the American industrial base's need for it, especially sectors like automotive, aviation, and home appliances which would become completely paralyzed without it.
The Trump administration asserts that neodymium and other rare earth metals are extremely vital for the United States to the extent that acquiring them is considered a matter of national security. However, China dominates the processing of rare earth metals, giving it tremendous leverage in trade negotiations. China accounts for 90% of the processing capacity necessary for transforming the raw materials into usable metals.
Chinese monopoly
Igor Holak, a partner in the Energy and Resources section of Kearney consultancy for the network, says: "Rare earth elements are not rare in themselves, as they are found in many countries and continents. But what is really rare is the method of separating the rocks, processing and refining them."
Holak added that the processing operation is arduous, requiring significant energy to heat the ore, which is then treated with chemicals to separate the rare earth elements, resulting in toxic waste, some of which is radioactive.
And he concluded by saying: "Simply, the rest of the world has allowed China to develop this high concentration (of processing)."
What made China distinctive in the field of neodymium industries is its combination of low cost, abundance, and versatility, making it generate more returns than any other rare earth element.
