(Press-News.org) Contact information: Kea Giles
kgiles@geosociety.org
Geological Society of America
More REEs please
2013 GSA Annual Meeting Wednesday session on REEs
	Boulder, CO, USA – A GSA Pardee Keynote Symposium on Wednesday concentrates on world politics, the rare Earth locations that hold elements important to modern civilization, and the need to find more in the U.S. These so-called "rare earth elements" (REEs) get their name not because they in themselves are uncommon, but locating them, differentiating them from each other, and separating them from their host ores is, to put it simply, complicated. 
	REEs are heavier than iron, yet it is their use in light-weight and energy-efficient technologies that make them highly sought after. Session kick-off speaker Dr. Lawrence Meinert of the U.S. Geological Survey says, "Although the discovery of rare earth elements (REE) dates back more than two centuries, their emergence as an essential component of many modern technologies, such as cell phones, flat screen TVs, electric vehicles, energy-efficient lighting, and wind power, is relatively recent."
	Now, the difficulty in extracting these REEs has led to their relatively high prices, up to thousands of dollars per kilogram. Meinert says, "The United States once was largely self-sufficient in REE, but now obtains the majority of its REE from foreign sources, mostly from China."
	In his talk, "Rare Earth Elements -- History, Policy, and Ore Deposits," Meinert notes that this is part of a larger trend; in 2012 the U.S. was 100% dependent on foreign suppliers for 18 mineral commodities and more than 50% dependent on foreign sources for 41 mineral commodities. "This has led to concern about the possibility of supply disruptions of mineral commodities variously termed critical or strategic."
	Meinert explains that ensuring a stable and secure supply of materials has been a societal concern throughout the ages. The U.S. Congress and the Executive Branch have created laws, regulations, institutions, and initiatives to address the challenges of strategic and critical materials, often in response to immediate crises such as the Cold War or specific embargos. While these responses may have been helpful in the short term, he says, "few if any have stood the test of time."
	Meinert's talk and the rest of the session, which begins at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, will explain the nature of REEs in detail and the politics and criticality of the supply stream, including how to work with the fact that while southeast China currently supplies much of the world's heavy REEs, this cannot last forever, and the U.S. needs to continue to study and develop its own resources here on its portion of Earth.
	###
	DETAILS
Pardee Keynote Session: Rare Earth Elements: Minerals, Mines, Magnets (and More): https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/webprogram/Session33251.html
Anton Chakhmouradian and Lawrence D. Meinert, Conveners
When: Wednesday, 30 Oct., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Colorado Convention Center, Mile High Ballroom 1AB
Abstract: Rare Earth Elements - History, Policy, and Ore Deposits: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013AM/webprogram/Paper232017.html
More REEs please
2013 GSA Annual Meeting Wednesday session on REEs
2013-10-30
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer are at increased risk of suicide
2013-10-30
Teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer are at increased risk of suicide
	Teenagers and young adults are at increased risk of suicide after being diagnosed with cancer according to a study published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1] today ...
Fertility treatment outcomes can be significantly influenced by mother's ethnicity
2013-10-30
Fertility treatment outcomes can be significantly influenced by mother's ethnicity
	Maternal ethnicity is a significant determinant of successful outcomes after fertility treatment, suggests a new study published today (30 October) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics ...
International research team weighs in on the negative consequences of noise on overall health
2013-10-30
International research team weighs in on the negative consequences of noise on overall health
Penn Medicine-led panel reports that noise exposure is a serious public health threat
	PHILADELPHIA –  The combined toll of occupational, ...
Results from many large clinical trials are never published
2013-10-30
Results from many large clinical trials are never published
Non-publication is more common among industry-funded trials, study finds
	CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A new analysis of 585 large, randomized clinical trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ...
Bright eyes: Study finds reindeers' eyes change colour with Arctic seasons
2013-10-30
Bright eyes: Study finds reindeers' eyes change colour with Arctic seasons
Video available
	Researchers have discovered the eyes of Arctic reindeer change colour through the seasons from gold to blue, adapting to extreme changes ...
Cat's eyes: Designing the perfect mixer
2013-10-30
Cat's eyes: Designing the perfect mixer
	
	WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 29, 2013 -- As any amateur baker knows, proper mixing is crucial to a perfect pastry. Mix too little and ingredients will not be evenly distributed; beat instead of fold, and a soufflé will ...
Discovered how mice survive infection by virulent Toxoplasma parasites
2013-10-30
Discovered how mice survive infection by virulent Toxoplasma parasites
	  This news release is available in Portuguese.   
One of the commonest parasites in the world is Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma can infect most warm-blooded animals, including ...
October 2013 Educational Researcher examines gender gap in college enrollment
2013-10-30
October 2013 Educational Researcher examines gender gap in college enrollment
Issue also looks at college coenrollment, common core standards, and student math achievement
	
	WASHINGTON, October 29, 2013 ─ The October 2013 issue of Educational Researcher ...
Scientists shine light on world's least-studied bat
2013-10-30
Scientists shine light on world's least-studied bat
	The Mortlock Islands flying fox, a large, breadfruit-eating bat native to a few remote and tiny Pacific islands, has long been regarded as one of the world's least studied bats. For more than 140 years nearly all that scientists ...
News that is better or worse than expected influences health decisions
2013-10-30
News that is better or worse than expected influences health decisions
UCR psychologist finds that unrealistic pessimists less likely to take preventive action after receiving good news
	
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Patients who are unrealistically optimistic ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
An electronic fiber for stretchable sensing
New image captures spooky bat signal in the sky
Cobalt single atom-phosphate functionalized reduced graphene oxide/perylenetetracarboxylic acid nanosheet heterojunctions for efficiently photocatalytic H2O2 production
World-first study shows Australian marsupials contaminated with harmful ‘forever chemicals’
Unlocking the brain’s hidden drainage system
Enhancing smoking cessation treatment for people living with HIV
Research spotlight: Mapping how gut neurons respond to bacteria, parasites and food allergy
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Experimental Physics Investigators awards to UCSB experimentalists opens the door to new insights and innovations
Meerkats get health benefit from mob membership
COVID-19 during pregnancy linked to higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children
How a chorus of synchronized frequencies helps you digest your food
UAlbany researcher partners on $1.2 million NSF grant to explore tropical monsoon rainfall patterns
Checkup time for Fido? Wait might be longer in the country
Genetic variation impact scores: A new tool for earlier heart disease detection
The Lundquist Institute awarded $9 million to launch Community Center of Excellence for Regenerative Medicine
'Really bizarre and exciting': The quantum oscillations are coming from inside
Is AI becoming selfish?
New molten salt method gives old lithium batteries a second life
Leg, foot amputations increased 65% in Illinois hospitals between 2016-2023
Moffitt studies uncover complementary strategies to overcome resistance to KRAS G12Cinhibitors in lung cancer
National summit of experts charts unprecedented roadmap to reduce harms from firearms in new ways
Global environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys significantly expand known geographic and ecological niche ranges of marine fish, highlighting current biases in conservation and ecological modeling
Hundreds of animal studies on brain damage after stroke flagged for problematic images
Prize winner’s research reveals how complex neural circuits are correctly wired during brain development
Supershear rupture sustained in thick fault zone during 2025 Mandalay earthquake, study in research package shows
Study reveals how brain cell networks stabilize memory formation
CTE: More than just head trauma, suggests new study
New psychology study suggests chimpanzees might be rational thinkers
Study links genetic variants to higher 'bad' cholesterol and heart attack risk
Myanmar fault had ideal geometry to produce 2025 supershear earthquake
[Press-News.org] More REEs please2013 GSA Annual Meeting Wednesday session on REEs