Abstract
In 2011, the developed world discovered its dependence on rare earth elements, which are indispensable to many high-tech applications. By imposing a policy of export quotas, China caused a spectacular rise in the price of these elements. Faced with this dangerous situation for an entire sector of industry, particularly in the green economy, European and American players reacted by taking various initiatives to limit their dependence on Chinese exports.
Solvay, which has been a leader in the purification and formulation of rare earths for over 50 years, launched a vast research and development program in the field of rare earth recycling back in 2007. In 2012, this program resulted in the investment, at the Saint-Fons and La Rochelle sites, of recycling units for rare earths contained in energy-saving lamps. At the same time, Solvay, which is the only player with a global separation unit outside China, is offering new mining players the opportunity to process their concentrates at its La Rochelle site.
