To prevent catastrophic climate change, we must rapidly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, replace fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy sources and make much more efficient use of resources.
A critical point is that these urgent tasks cannot be achieved unless we have a secure supply of elements essential to advanced technologies for clean energy, transport and manufacturing: rare earths, hafnium, zirconium and niobium.
To mitigate climate change, we need rare earths (RE) for:
- permanent magnets in wind turbines, eliminating the need for gear boxes, thereby improving reliability, which is particularly important for off-shore wind power generators. RE magnets also facilitate larger wind power generator designs.
- permanent magnets in electric motors
- electric motors and electronic control systems for solar power generation
- nickel-metal (RE alloy) hydride batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles and rechargeable electronic devices
- energy efficient lighting (fluorescents and LEDs)
- energy efficient communication through fibre optic signal amplification
- hydrogen storage alloys for clean transport and energy
- ceramics for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and power generation, and
- catalytic converters to reduce harmful emissions in exhaust gases.
Applications of hafnium and/or zirconium that help to mitigate climate change include:
- efficient microelectronics, capacitors and computer chips and memory devices
- solid oxide membranes for clean metal production
- nuclear power fuel assemblies and construction materials, and
- gas sensors of all types.
Niobium enables the construction of robust, safe structures using less steel. In the transport sector, this produces better fuel efficiencies and lower carbon dioxide emissions.
To act on climate change, we must secure a supply of these essential elements that is:
- sustainable and traceable
- not monopolised by any single nation or bloc
- designed for complementary sourcing of other essential materials and
- has the potential for ‘urban mining’ (i.e. recycling materials from technology at the end of its useful life).
The world-class Dubbo Project in NSW, Australia, meets these criteria and can supply these essential elements for 80+ years. To progress the Dubbo Project to construction, Alkane Resources seeks a blend of financing from export credit agencies, strategic partners and equity and debt markets. Information for investors is available here
Further reading:
https://setis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/reports/JRC-report-Critical-Metals-Energy-Sector.pdf