Hub 1: Engineering the Path to Europe’s Rare Earth Autonomy 

Behind every major innovation there is a clear vision. At Hub 1, Técnicas Reunidas is guiding the way with their expertise in engineering and technology. We asked them about their journey within PERMANET, the challenges they face, and how they see their role in shaping a more sustainable future.

1. How can Europe balance the need for rare earth autonomy with environmental sustainability in developing new supply chains?
   One of the main challenges is to reconfigure the entire Rare Earth Elements (REE) value chain, from exploitation to End-of-Life, so that strategic autonomy and sustainability are mutually reinforcing. For example, territorial planning and obtaining the necessary permits are required, through a strategic environmental assessment in appropriate areas and the accelerated processing of only projects that demonstrate good practices, with low environmental impact and high strategic value, both in primary mining and in circular economy processes and the subsequent manufacturing of devices, magnets, or other materials containing REE. Furthermore, low-impact intermediate streams must be generated, and the various waste generated in these industries must be treated in accordance with current environmental and radiological regulations, among others.
    
2. What role will regional and international partnerships play in securing a resilient and circular rare earth value chain for Europe?
   Regional and international partnerships are essential to ensuring a resilient and circular REE value chain in Europe, especially as the continent seeks to reduce dependence on external suppliers and align with its green and digital transitions. Their contribution could include diversifying supply sources, improving circularity, and strengthening regional resilience. In this specific context, regional partnerships within Europe can foster shared innovation hubs, training programs, and resource pooling. Partnerships can ensure that mining and recycling practices respect environmental and social standards, including labor rights and community engagement. They can also support capacity building in developing countries, ensuring equitable benefits from resource development, also they facilitate policy alignment and governance. International cooperation helps harmonize regulatory frameworks for sustainable mining and recycling, even trade agreements support ethical sourcing and reduce barriers to circular economy practices.
    
3. How can HUB 1’s technological innovations shape future EU policies on critical raw materials and strategic autonomy?
   The technological innovations in the processing of REE ores to produce carbonates and oxides of these elements can directly influence future EU policies on Critical Raw Materials and strategic autonomy at several levels. For example, in reducing dependence on third countries, with an impact through the development of technologies that allow primary and/or secondary minerals to be processed in Europe, this would help diversify sources and strengthen supply chain resilience, in association with CRMA, which sets extraction, processing, and recycling targets for the EU. This would positively impact security of supply for strategic sectors, for example, for the synthesis of permanent magnets, batteries, next-generation electronic devices, etc. This development, in addition to having an industrial impact, could support EU regulatory activities by demonstrating that it is possible to obtain carbonates and oxides from REEs efficiently, sustainably, and competitively, allowing the EU to strengthen its strategic autonomy.
    
4. What are the main challenges each HUB is facing in building a fully circular and resilient rare earth magnet value chain, and how can they be overcome through collaboration and innovation?
   In the case of the HUB 1, the complex mineralogy poses challenges to developing efficient and selective REEs extraction processes, as different ores may require different treatment methods, also due the low concentration of those elements in a tailing, for example. Monazite (Ce, La, Nd, Th) PO4 is a REE phosphate and it is one of the most critical rare earth minerals globally, serving as the main source of thorium and light REE such as lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, and praseodymium. For this reason, using the rare earth concentrate processing technology developed by Técnicas Reunidas, RARETECH™, various REE-containing raw materials in monazite concentrate will be studied, as well as other minerals such as allanites. This represents a major challenge for raw material suppliers and Técnicas Reunidas, as well as those who will use the carbonates and oxides in the other HUBs. Another important challenge is considering that most of this material is in NORM, so the concentrate and the waste must be managed in accordance with European and IAEA regulations.