Discover huge reserves of rare earth in Afghanistan

Recently a huge reserve of rare earth has just been discovered in southern Afghanistan. According to scientists' estimates, based on current demand, 1,000,000 tons of rare earth have been found, including antennas, cerium and neodymium, which can provide enough for the world in the next 10 years .

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However, according to Robert Tucker, a US geological investigator who led the study, the number of rare earths here is much greater because of the particular terrain in the survey area, near the Pakistan border, which is The most dangerous area in Afghanistan, scientists have not been able to determine the actual number.

'I think our calculations are not accurate. If we have more time, and manpower, surely discovery will not stop there ", Robert Tucker tells Scientific American in an interview.

With this discovery, Afghanistan has become the world's sixth largest rare earth reserve behind China (50 million tons), the United States (12 million tons), Australia (5.2 million tons), India ( 1.1 million tons . .

Rare earths are precious and rare elements in the earth, used in many high-tech industries such as food technology, health, ceramics, computers, color television screens, eco-friendly cars. School, magnets, batteries, catalytic refining of petrochemicals, missiles, radars . Although precious resources, but in rare earth contains many toxic and radioactive elements. Therefore, if exploiting improperly the technical process can cause environmental pollution.