Abstract: Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of chemically similar lanthanides, commonly discussed together with yttrium and scandium, that underpin permanent magnets, catalysts, polishing powders, phosphors, batteries and many low-carbon technologies. Their environmental profile is therefore paradoxical: the same materials that help reduce emissions in wind turbines, electric vehicles and high-efficiency electronics can create serious local burdens when ores are mined and processed without strong containment. This review evaluates three dominant impact pathways in REE production: soil acidification, radioactive tailings and heavy-metal or metalloid contamination. The review uses a standard source-pathway-receptor framework because the severity of each issue depends not only on total contaminant concentration, but also on geochemical mobility, hydrology, exposure duration, land use and the effectiveness of operational controls.
The strongest evidence for soil acidification comes from ion-adsorption clay mining, where ammonium-salt leaching leaves residual ammonium in highly weathered soils. Subsequent nitrification releases hydrogen ions, lowering pH and increasing the mobility of aluminum, manganese, REEs and co-occurring heavy metals. Recent field evidence from southeast China shows that mined ion-adsorption tailing soils had lower pH than unmined soils and that pH declined with mining age, linking residual ammonium and nitrate formation to long-term acidification (Xu et al., 2023). Radioactive tailings are most important for deposits containing monazite, xenotime and some carbonatite-related minerals because thorium, uranium and radium can be redistributed and concentrated in tailings, slimes and residues. Field gamma surveys around Baotou and Bayan Obo show that radiological issues require site-specific measurement rather than assumption (Li et al., 2016). Heavy-metal risks arise from ore gangue, processing reagents, acidification-driven desorption and dust or sediment transport, with studies from ion-adsorption mining areas showing contamination of water, sediment and agricultural soils (Liu et al., 2019). Overall, the literature indicates that REE impacts are controllable, but only if mining plans integrate nitrogen management, tailings engineering, radiological monitoring, water treatment, dust control, progressive reclamation and long-term post-closure surveillance.
Keywords: Rare earth elements (REEs), Soil Acidification, Radioactive Tailings, Heavy-Metal Pathways.
Title: Environmental Impacts of Rare Earth Element Production: A Review of Soil Acidification, Radioactive Tailings and Heavy-Metal Pathways
Author: Rifkatu Dapia Bazam
International Journal of Novel Research in Civil Structural and Earth Sciences
ISSN 2394-7357
Vol. 13, Issue 3, September 2026 - December 2026
Page No: 22-38
Novelty Journals
Website: www.noveltyjournals.com
Published Date: 09-November-2026
