Demand
for
rare-earth
materials
in
the
renewables
industries
will
jump
by
almost
50%
by
2017,
according
to
a
report
from
US
consultancy
Pike
Research.
This
leap
—
from
current
levels
of
just
over
8,000
tonnes
to
almost
12,000
tonnes
—
is
expected
to
place
“an
increased
strain”
on
the
already
stretched
global
supply
of
metals
used
in
permanent-magnet
generators.
Supply
uncertainties
will
push
the
cost
of
rare-earth
materials
—
used
in
wind
turbines,
electric
vehicles,
solid
oxide
fuel
cells
and
energy-efficient
lighting
—
to
at
least
$1.2bn
in
the
next
six…
