Promoting cooperation, research, development and application of rare earths in Vietnam

The workshop shared the research and application results achieved, the difficulties and shortcomings in the research process in the field of rare earths and the research orientation in the coming time. This is an opportunity to introduce, promote, and explore cooperation and technology transfer opportunities with domestic and foreign enterprises and research units.

At the workshop, Mr. Pham Quang Minh, Director of the Institute of Rare Earth Technology, emphasized that the application of rare earth products has developed strongly in recent decades, especially in the agricultural sector to create clean, safe and effective agricultural products. The application of rare earth has been strongly developed in China, the United States, European countries...

In Vietnam, the research, development and application of rare earths have made progress. Vietnam is considered to have the second largest rare earth reserves in the world, accounting for about 18%, after China (37%). Rare earth mines are concentrated in the Northern region, but so far no factory has been built to process rare earth resources. In the current context, technology and raw material security issues are top priorities, rare earth resources are considered one of the necessary raw materials for high-tech industries, especially energy and defense. Therefore, there needs to be cooperation between management agencies - scientists - businesses to find solutions and develop the rare earth industry in Vietnam, so that research results do not stop at the laboratory scale or pilot scale (a stage in research to build a new drug production process) ... but aim at industrial production scale and develop strong products.

According to the report, currently, rare earth elements are separated with high purity for application in different industrial and agricultural sectors, divided into two groups: Rare earth group is applied in high-tech industries such as food technology, medicine, glass polishing, ceramics, computers, color TV screens, lighting, environmentally friendly cars, magnets, batteries, petrochemical refining catalysts, missiles, radars... Accordingly, 26% of rare earths are used worldwide as catalysts in the oil and gas industry and in catalytic converters for internal combustion engine cars; about 20 - 23% are used in the production of permanent magnets for electric motors.

Rare earth groups used in agriculture are added to fertilizers for crops, micronutrient fertilizers to increase productivity and resistance to pests and diseases for crops, and there have been some tests to add them to animal feed...

With a long history of formation and development along with a long process of rare earth research, the Institute of Rare Earth Technology has gradually built and perfected end-to-end technologies for many rare earth ore objects and is continuing to research at pilot scale and above. The workshop not only shares the results of research and application of rare earth in Vietnam but also aims to promote cooperation and technology transfer with partners such as India, Korea, Japan...

The workshop focused on discussing and sharing contents on deep processing technology of rare earth ores and development prospects; rare earth products applied to industry and agriculture; cooperation prospects on scientific research and implementation of the Institute of Rare Earth Technology...

Within the framework of the Workshop, the Institute of Rare Earth Technology and the Institute of Research, Development and Application of New Technology signed a cooperation agreement on rare earth application to promote the application of rare earth in Vietnam in the coming time.

According to VNA