Critical Metals Handbook

Mankind is using a greater variety of metals in greater quantities than ever before. As a result there is increasing global concern over the long-term availability of secure and adequate supplies of the metals needed by society. Critical metals, which are those of growing economic importance that might be susceptible to future scarcity, are a particular worry. For many of these we have little information on how they are concentrated in the Earth's crust, how to extract them from their ores, and how to use, recycle and dispose of them effectively and safely.

Published with the British Geological Survey, the Critical Metals Handbook brings together a wealth of knowledge on critical metals and provides a foundation for improving the future security and sustainability of critical metal supplies. Written by international experts, it provides a unique source of authoritative information on diverse aspects of the critical metals, including geology, deposits, processing, applications, recycling, environmental issues and markets. It is aimed at a broad non-specialist audience, including professionals and academics working in the exploration and mining sectors, in mining finance and investment, and in mineral processing and manufacturing. It will also be a valuable reference for policy makers concerned with resource management, land-use planning, eco-efficiency, recycling and related fields.

Auteur
Gus Gunn is a principal research scientist at the British Geological Survey in Nottingham, UK. He has spent his entire career, starting in 1975, working in mineral exploration and mineral deposits research. Since 2009 his main focus has been on critical metals and on the development of strategies to ensure their long-term security of supply.

Contenu

List of Contributors, xi Acknowledgements, xiii 1 Metal resources, use and criticality, 1 T.E. Graedel, Gus Gunn and Luis Tercero Espinoza 2 The mining industry and the supply of critical minerals, 20 David Humphreys 3 Recycling of (critical) metals, 41 Christian Hagelüken 4 Antimony, 70 Ulrich Schwarz-Schampera 5 Beryllium, 99 David L. Trueman and Phillip Sabey 6 Cobalt, 122 Stephen Roberts and Gus Gunn 7 Gallium, 150 Thomas Butcher and Teresa Brown 8 Germanium, 177 Frank Melcher and Peter Buchholz 9 Indium, 204 Ulrich Schwarz-Schampera 10 Lithium, 230 Keith Evans 11 Magnesium, 261 Neale R. Neelameggham and Bob Brown 12 Platinum-group metals, 284 Gus Gunn 13 Rare earth elements, 312 Frances Wall 14 Rhenium, 340 Tom A. Millensifer, Dave Sinclair, Ian Jonasson and Anthony Lipmann 15 Tantalum and niobium, 361 Robert Linnen, David L. Trueman and Richard Burt 16 Tungsten, 385 Teresa Brown and Peter Pitfield Appendices, 414 Glossary of technical terms, 419 Index, 431