“Rare earths” is the name given to the 17 chemical elements present in certain territories, such as scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium and europium, among others. They are characterized by being impure since the minerals are mixed with each other, which makes complex separation processes necessary and consume a lot of energy. These 17 metals are essential raw materials for digitalization and the energy transition, and are found in cell phones, computers, screens and batteries.

This topic was recently discussed at the ETH in Zurich (a pioneering public university in research in Europe and around the world), where experts in the field unveiled a new process that can accelerate the separation of different raw materials by 50 times. This would be a new recycling approach that opens the doors to the effective and sustainable treatment of rare earths. 

At Hidronor we are excited about the advancement of this topic since it will contribute to our work: delivering safe, sustainable and comprehensive environmental solutions in waste management, such as our remediation and cleanup of contaminated land.