Rare Earth Elements
Understanding the Strategic Importance of REEs
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are a group of 15 chemically similar elements, known as the lanthanides, along with scandium and yttrium, which are often included due to their similar properties and co-occurrence in mineral deposits.
These elements are critical to the global transition to clean energy and high-technology manufacturing. They underpin the performance of electric vehicles, wind turbines, batteries, permanent magnets, lasers, medical devices, advanced electronics, defence systems and more.
Geological Setting and Extraction
Enova’s REE portfolio spans multiple deposit types across Brazil and Australia.
These include:
- Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) deposits, as seen at our Poços and Coda projects, where rare earth elements are loosely bonded to clay minerals. These deposits can often be processed under ambient or low-temperature conditions using salt solutions—offering potentially lower environmental and economic processing costs.
- Alluvial and Saprolite Systems, such as those at Charley Creek, where REEs are typically hosted in monazite and xenotime minerals within river-derived sediments. These require physical separation methods such as gravity concentration, followed by advanced leaching techniques.
- Hard Rock Systems, including untested potential beneath some of our alluvial and lateritic areas, may also contain REE-bearing minerals. These typically require more intensive extraction methods involving heat and chemical processing.
Types and Uses
REEs are commonly grouped into:
- Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE) – such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, and Neodymium. These are more abundant and generally used in batteries, glass, catalysts, and lighting.
- Middle Rare Earth Elements (MREE) – including elements like Samarium, Europium, and Gadolinium, which have applications in magnets, lasers, and control rods for nuclear reactors.
- Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) – such as Dysprosium, Terbium, Erbium, Holmium, Ytterbium, Thulium and Lutetium. These are scarcer and more valuable, essential in permanent magnets, medical imaging, fibre optics, and high-temperature applications.
Key REEs and Their Uses
- Neodymium (Nd): Critical for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and headphones. Forms high-strength NdFeB magnets.
- Scandium (Sc): Strengthens aluminium alloys and is used in hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells.
- Erbium (Er): Used in beauty and dental lasers, signal processing, and to colour glass.
- Cerium (Ce): Used for glass polishing, automotive catalysts, and lighting.
- Dysprosium (Dy): Enhances high-temperature stability of magnets. Also used in nuclear control rods and radiation sensors.
- Terbium (Tb): Enables green phosphors in lighting and screens. Also used in magneto-restrictive devices and signal amplification in fibre optics.
- Europium (Eu): Emits red light in screens and LEDs. Used in anti-counterfeit features and nuclear control rods.
- Samarium (Sm): A key material in high-performance magnets and precision electronic applications.
- Lutetium (Lu): Valued in PET imaging, LED lights, and as a catalyst in polymerisation and hydrogenation reactions.
- Praseodymium (Pr): Used in aircraft engine alloys and coloured glass. Often alloyed with neodymium for magnetic applications.
- Gadolinium (Gd): Found in MRI contrast agents, fuel cells, and x-ray imaging equipment.
- Yttrium (Y): Used in superconductors, radar, camera lenses, and as a strengthener in alloys.
- Holmium (Ho): Among the most magnetic elements; used in magnetic field amplification and nuclear applications.
- Thulium (Tm): Found in high-temperature furnace components and specialty ceramics for aerospace.
Enova is strategically focused on discovering and developing REE deposits that align with future-facing technologies and the global shift to cleaner, more sustainable industries.
Our diversified portfolio across Brazil and Australia offers exposure to both LREE and HREE systems, with active exploration programs designed to define scalable, low-impact rare earth supply chains.