‘Rare earth elements are central to the twin green and digital transitions, as they are needed in the production and storage of green energy, as well as in other high-tech areas. Europe is currently almost entirely dependent on third countries for these critical elements, but it is worth looking for alternatives to reduce this dependence and increase our economic security,’ claimed Timo Tatar, Deputy Secretary General for Energy and Mineral Resources at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
According to Tatar, it is important to continue studying the Earth’s crust so that we would know as much as possible about local raw materials. ‘We need to make sure what the environmental impacts and the economic perspective are. Based on this knowledge, we can decide in the more distant future whether this is the right way for us to grow our knowledge-based economy and create new jobs. The smart valorisation of mineral resources is also, for example, one of the cornerstones of the economic strength of our northern neighbours,’ he added.
The Geological Survey of Estonia has been engaged in research on phosphorite and the related resources since 2018. So far, historical data has been validated and a spatial analysis has been carried out to identify potential prospective exploration areas. With the recently received additional funding of €6.1 million, the focus will now primarily be on the technologies for the extraction and valorisation of raw materials and on the analysis of the comprehensive value chain. Further research will focus on the prospective exploration area that is selected on the basis of the study completed in 2022.
Sirli Sipp Kulli, the Director of the Geological Survey of Estonia, noted that the current knowledge base in this field is not yet sufficient, and research must therefore continue in close cooperation with Estonian universities. ‘We base our research on the results of the RITA and RESTA research programmes carried out by TalTech and the University of Tartu. While there are various practical examples of phosphorus valorisation around the world, there is currently no known technology for the co-extraction of phosphorus and rare earth elements. That is why we need to find innovative solutions and build competence based on our local resources.’
Based on the results of the research into critical resources by the Geological Survey of Estonia, the Estonian society can, in the future, jointly decide whether and how to proceed with the possible complex valorisation of phosphorite, rare earth elements and related resources.