Connecting the global rare earth industry

The Global Rare Earth Industry Association (REIA) describes the aims and priorities of the organisation.

The Global Rare Earth Industry Association (REIA) was founded in 2019 with the support of the EU Commission as a non-profit organisation representing the rare earth industry worldwide and run by a multicultural and experienced Board of Directors.

REIA is dedicated to:
•  Improving the knowledge of rare earth elements (REE) as critical enablers of advanced technologies;
•  Supporting the development of sustainable, responsible, and collaborative value chains, from mining to recycling; and
•  Creating transparency and certification of products and processes for the REE industry.

REIA already counts 40 active members. We bridge the gap between the different stakeholders and connect the industry with consumers, upstream with downstream. We also work alongside national and regional partners around the world.

REIA commitments

Today’s society simply cannot do without rare earth elements. Yet, the REE industry faces numerous challenges such as:
•  Profound misinformation – very much due to a lack of transparency about what REE are, their value proposition, applications, potential risks & opportunities;
•  Inefficient recovery of REE from end-users. Today, less than 5% of rare earth magnets are recycled;
•  A high environmental impact during mining, refining and waste management processes;
•  Measuring this environmental and social impact vs the ‘green benefits of rare earths;
•  The need for a more diversified supply chain and less volatility in prices
•  No industry-wide certification or unified socio-environmental reporting standards; and
•  There is insufficient collaboration and consensus within the industry (especially between upstream and downstream).

REIA’s role is to address these key challenges and promote a greater awareness of the benefits of rare earths and the sector’s best ESG practices. Fundamentally, we strive to improve the security and sustainability within the rare earth industry so the rare earths can be adopted wherever they guarantee a superior technological performance compared to other choices.

Are you a key industry stakeholder, large, medium-sized, small company, innovative start-up, university or research institute, NGO, and operating in the rare earth sector? Join REIA, the only Global Rare Earth Industry Association: www.global-reia.org

REIA partnering to develop a blockchain-based circular system for assessing rare earth sustainability

REIA is partnering with BEC GmbH, Circularise, Grundfos, and Minviro to lead a three-year EIT RawMaterials funded innovation project to build a blockchain-based circular system for assessing rare earth sustainability (CSyARES). This project will allow downstream players to ensure sustainable practices throughout their supply chains, creating new business opportunities for manufacturers and recyclers.

Demand for rare earth metals is skyrocketing, and by 2030 it is projected to reach 315,000 tonnes. These metals are irreplaceable in wind turbines, electric vehicles, mobile phones, computers and the defence industry. Rising demand combined with resource shortages and supply chain disruptions means we need to rely on sustainably mined and processed metals.

Developing an innovative circular system for assessing rare earth sustainability is vital in achieving these goals. In this project, the partnering organisations aim to:

• Integrate REIA’s standards on assessing sustainable performance and Minviro’s LCA tool with Circularise’s blockchain software for supply chain traceability and transparency; and
  • Allow Grundfos and BEC GmbH to test the system and business model and trace and measure the environmental impact of their supply chains. This will be conducted in cooperation with REIA members.

The Global Rare Earths Summit

We are proud to present the very first Global Rare Earths Summit, organised in partnership with City & Financial Global, which will take place on 31 March 2022. This timely summit will bring together senior policy figures and industry leaders from the rare earths supply chain, from mining companies to end-users. The conference will discuss how to manage the supply/demand squeeze for rare earths and meet the global need for a swift and responsible transition to green energy.

Confirmed speakers to date include:
•  Gary Stanley, Director, Office of Materials Industries, US Department of Commerce;
•  Chen Zhanheng, Vice President, China Rare Earth Industry Association;
•  Guillaume Pitron, Journalist and Author, “The Rare Metals War: The Dark Side of Clean Energy and Digital Technologies”; and
•  Drew Horn, President and CEO, Greentech Minerals Holdings and ex-Advisor, US Government.

Key topics include:
•  Ensuring the security of supply and strategies for meeting the anticipated increase in demand;
•  Financing the mining and refining of rare earths;
•  Mitigating the environmental and social impact of mining; and
•  Resourcing new and critical dependencies.

The Global Rare Earth Industry Association (REIA)
www.global-reia.org
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gloreia/
@REIA_global