Rare earth research: Where is Vietnam?

In the world, rare earths are widely used in new technologies in energy and defense. However, in Vietnam, many research projects on rare earths only focus on sectors with low economic efficiency.

Since the late 1950s, Vietnam has collaborated with Soviet and Chinese research institutes to study rare earths. However, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luu Minh Dai, Institute of Materials Science, Institute of Science and Technology of Vietnam admitted: in the country, only research on rare earth in a sporadic way and very few products can be applied. practical use.

Research waste

According to Assoc.Prof.Dr. Dai, we currently have hundreds of research projects on rare earths, from catalytic materials for emission treatment, luminescence to; medical, biological and agricultural changes . But most studies only stop at the laboratory scale.

Some rare earth specimens at the Institute of Rare Radiation Technology.(Photo: Nhu Y).

A small number of studies have been applied such as bringing rare earth components into steel to increase the tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and flexibility. In agriculture, there is a micro-product of rare earth sold to farmers. But in the field of 'hot' today such as electronics, luminescence, there have also been certain successes, but it is only to confirm the ability, but cannot be commercialized yet.

It is a spontaneous, small-scale research that is not interconnected. Since then, it can be said that the study and use of rare earth from the past to now are in a wasteful state.

Lack of laboratories and human resources

To be able to study in-depth and clearly about rare earths that need to invest in a laboratory with a key laboratory-scale scale, funding for research needs several tens of billion dong. Dr. Nguyen Ky Phuong Ha, Department of Chemical Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology said.

The facilities were so . the team of scientists studying rare earths is also having many holes. Institutes, schools lack the sharing of information, and there is no centralized program. Want to develop must have a large research team and good at rare earth. ' In fact, the number of staff with experience in rare earth research is either old or retired, while young scientists are not passionate enough and weak in terms of expertise, ' said an expert.

MSc.Nguyen Duy Phap is introducing rare earth resources in Vietnam (Photo: Nhu Y).

Equally important is the commercialization of research products. Currently, there are many research projects on rare earth that have formed the technology in the 'pilot' scale but cannot find the place to buy technology.

Both Assoc.Prof.Dr. Dai and Dr Ha both recognize that the state needs to invest more to have a laboratory with modern machines that are sufficient to study rare earths. There are projects and projects on: technology development, or rare earth industry with clear strategy. Domestic technology is hard to come by, must be ready to coordinate with countries that have succeeded with rare earths to study.

According to MA Nguyen Duy Phap ( Institute of Rare Radiation Technology ), when domestic resources are not enough, it must be ready to coordinate with advanced countries to research, exploit and separate elements in the field of rare earth. Since then, with the investment of the state, scientists and domestic engineers have come to master technology in research and application of rare earth.