Earth Materials Research Articles

Marble Waste Dump Yard in Rajasthan, India Revealed as a Potential Asbestos Exposure Hazard

Asbestos is a fibrous variety of certain minerals, some of which occur naturally as an accessory to a wide variety of mineral resources. Although asbestos itself has been historically mined for various useful properties, the negative health effects of asbestos dust have greatly diminished it as a useful earth material, as many countries have banned the use of these fibrous minerals based on those health concerns. Resulting regulations of asbestos have focused primarily on intentionally mined material used in product manufacturing, such as building materials made with beneficiated asbestos and their derivative exposures, e.g., airborne asbestos in schools with asbestos-containing materials. The hazards of asbestos as unintended byproducts have not been as extensively considered, although this “contamination” has been repeatedly observed in common earth materials including talc, vermiculite, sand, and gravel. This study reveals such contamination of ornamental and dimension stone commonly referred to as “marble”. Asbestos types that can be associated with certain Indian marble reserves include asbestiform tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite, and chrysotile asbestos. This case reveals such contamination in a marble reserve in Rajsamand, Rajasthan. At this location, marble dust in slurry is disposed at waste collection points, unfortunately including a location now open to the public that has become a tourist destination. Using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) in this study, dust from this location revealed abundant tremolite asbestos fibres in the disaggregated dust. This poses potential health risks to the workers, bystanders, and tourists that may be exposed to this recognized carcinogen, a known cause of mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases.

Fast, in situ, and eco-friendly determination of Mn in plant leaves using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for agricultural and environmental applications.

The portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry has been very useful for the characterization of different earth materials, and its application for foliar analysis is really promising. The performance of pXRF for foliar analysis depends on several factors such as concentration of the elements, fluorescence yield which is influenced by atomic number, spectral interference, and water content. Mn is one of the elements that present a prominent fluorescence peak. In this sense, it was hypothesized that pXRF can directly determine the Mn concentration on foliar samples, even when used on intact leaves (fresh or dry) being a useful tool for agronomic and environmental purposes. Thus, the objective was to assess the performance of a pXRF to determine Mn concentration in two different foliar datasets from Brazil/South America and Mali/Africa. In the Brazilian dataset, leaves from eight crops (common bean, castor plant, coffee, eucalyptus, guava tree, maize, mango, and soybean) were scanned via pXRF at the following conditions: intact and fresh leaves, intact and dry leaves, and powdered samples). In the Malian dataset, powdered samples from cotton and maize were analyzed via pXRF. For comparison, Mn concentration was also determined after nitro-perchloric digestion followed by quantification via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). After descriptive statistics, linear regressions were performed for all sample preparation conditions in both datasets, using Mn concentrations obtained through pXRF and the acid digestion method. The data quality level of all linear regressions was considered quantitative with high R (0.93 to 0.98) and R2 (0.87 to 0.96) values. The direct analysis of Mn via pXRF on intact and fresh leaves yielded R of 0.93, R2 of 0.87, and a low relative standard deviation (< 10%). The manufactured pXRF calibration used in this work allowed an accurate direct Mn determination in plant leaves. Considering the importance of Mn as a plant micronutrient and its potential toxicity depending on soil redox conditions, the fast, in situ, non-destructive, and eco-friendly determination via pXRF has a tremendous agronomic and environmental application worldwide.

A Microstructural Insight into the Hygrothermal Behaviour of Unstabilised and Cement Stabilised Compressed Earthen Bricks Exposed to High Temperatures

Earthen materials has received a lot of attention as a sustainable building material over the past few decades because of its eco-friendliness. As consequence of this renewed interest, numerous works have been recently developed on earthen materials, mostly with a focus on their mechanical behaviour. Conversely, there is still a significant gap in the literature on the understanding of the fire behaviour of earthen materials. Only a handful of studies has dealt with this subject and a systematic analysis on the causes of thermal instabilities in earth materials at high temperatures is still missing from the literature. The role played by the mineralogy of the earth materials on these thermal instabilities is still poorly understood and it requires further investigation. To fill these gaps, the present study presents the results from both mineralogical and hygrothermal tests performed on earth samples, which were either left unstabilised and compacted at 50 MPa or stabilised with cement and compacted at the optimum standard Proctor. Interestingly, unstabilised earthen samples exhibited thermal instabilities when exposed to high temperatures. To investigate deeper into the mineralogical causes of such thermal instabilities, samples were either equalised at the ambient temperature of about 25 °C or exposed at the high temperature of 350 °C before being subjected to thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) tests, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy tests, isothermal adsorption-desorption tests, and nitrogen gas permeability tests. Results show that cement stabilisation induced the formation of fresh the calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) and calcium-aluminate-hydrate (C-A-H) gels while reducing the water adsorption capacity. Both effects have rendered the material less prone to thermal instabilities compared to the unstabilised material. The main mineralogical and moisture-related changes influencing thermal and fire behavior might not be well captured by traditional studies. Though lacking in information to perform a thorough study, they do provide initial indications of possible internal alterations within the materials.

Conceptualizing Black Humanity Through Geopoetic Intimacy and Resistance: Memory Making-with Geologic Materials

ABSTRACT Amplifying the importance of geologic processes in subject formation, the study asserts that geological time is important for understanding memory and memorials. In the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Projects and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, materials of geologic composition like soil, and those made from earth materials, such as steel and bricks, are employed to trope the bodies of lynching victims and weather racist geologic formations of subjecthood. The holding and eroding of violent memories crafts an intimate and resistant geopoetics of Black humanity.

Speciation and diffusive dynamics in hydrated grain boundaries of complex oxide Gd2Ti2O7

Grain boundaries in polycrystalline materials significantly affect their properties, such as ionic transport, corrosion, and chemical durability. The pyrochlore compound (Gd2Ti2O7) is employed as a model for complex oxides and is known for its diverse applications, including nuclear waste immobilization. Density functional theory-based first-principles molecular dynamics simulations were performed at different temperatures on the hydrated grain boundary system. The results show extensive transformations within the grain boundaries among hydrous water species (OH−, H2O, and H3O+). The temperature dependence of self-diffusion coefficients follows Arrhenius behavior, with an activation energy of 35.9 kJ/mol for hydrogen and 46.3 kJ/mol for oxygen. The lifetime of OH− is about three to four times longer than that of H2O at temperatures from 800 to 2100 K, suggesting the greater stability of OH− over H2O, a unique characteristic of the grain boundaries. The estimated lifetime of the hydrous species decreases as the temperature increases, with an activation energy of 9.9 kJ/mol for OH− and 13.4 kJ/mol for H2O. While Gd3+ is more mobile than Ti4+, both the Gd3+ and Ti4+ cations are orders of magnitude less mobile than the water species. The results suggest that water species are much more mobile within grain boundaries than in the bulk crystal and have the potential to penetrate deep into polycrystalline materials through grain boundaries, leading to grain boundary degradation and dissolution. The different mobilities of cations in complex oxides can lead to leaching of certain cations and incongruent dissolution during the chemical weathering of Earth and industrial materials.

Scalable Synthesis of 2D ErOCl with Sub-meV Narrow Emissions at Telecom Band.

Van der Waals (vdWs) materials are promising candidates for hetero-integration with silicon photonics toward miniaturization and integration. VdWs materials like molybdenum telluride and black phosphorus, despite being prominent, exhibit air sensitivity, and their room temperature emissions can be significantly broadened by tens of meV. Here, a self-encapsulation strategy is developed to scalably synthesize robust 2D vdWs ErOCl with sub-meV narrow emissions at the telecom C-band. Diverse 2D rare earth materials are also grown via chemical vapor deposition (TmOCl, YbOCl, HoOCl, DyOCl, SmOCl, NdOCl, TbOCl, GdOCl, EuOCl, and PrOCl), demonstrating the strategy's generalizability. The as-grown ErOCl exhibits high crystalline quality and excellent ambientand thermal stability (300°C). Photoluminescence analysis reveals a series of narrow emissions across the visible to near-infrared spectrum. The ErOCl's emission at the telecom band is narrowest among 2D luminescent materials, and suitable for integrating with photonic chips. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra facilitate the understanding of emission mechanisms, analyzed using a crystal field perturbation model. Moreover, these emissions can be tuned by external magnetic fields. This research not only pioneers a novel strategy for synthesizing 2D rare earth materials but also paves the way for innovative building blocks in the realm of on-chip optical communications.

Chalcogenide perovskites: enticing prospects across a wide range of compositions and optoelectronic properties for stable photodetector devices

Abstract Photodetectors are indispensable components of many modern light sensing and imaging devices, converting photon energy into processable electrical signal through absorption, carrier generation and extraction using semiconducting thin films with appropriate optoelectronic properties. Recently, metal halide perovskites have demonstrated groundbreaking photodetector performance due to their exceptional properties originating from their perovskite structure. However, toxicity and stability remain challenges for their large-scale applications. Inspired by the perovskite structure, intense investigation in search of highly stable, non-toxic and earth abundant materials with superior optoelectronic features has led to the discovery of chalcogenide perovskites (CPs). These are unconventional semiconductors with the formula ABX3, where A and B are cations and X is a chalcogen, which covers the compounds with the corner sharing perovskite structures of type II-IV- VI3 compounds (II = Ba, Sr, Ca, Eu; IV = Zr, Hf; VI = S, Se) and III1-III2-VI3 compounds (III1 and III2 = Lanthanides, Y, Sc; VI = S, Se). The increased coordination and ionicity in these compounds contribute to their excellent charge transport properties and exceptionally high optical absorption coefficient (&gt; 105 cm−1). The present review encompasses theoretical analysis that provides electronic band structures and the orbital contributions that support the excellent optoelectronic properties. Furthermore, the challenging thin film deposition, characterizations, and their application in photodetection focusing on BaZrS3-which is the most studied one, are ascribed. Additionally, we suggest prospects that can bring out the true potential of these materials in photodetection and photovoltaics.

Utilizing contemporary machine learning techniques for determining soilcrete properties

Soilcrete is an innovative construction material made by combining naturally occurring earth materials with cement. It can be effectively used in areas where other construction materials are not readily available due to financial or environmental reasons since soilcrete is made from readily available natural clay. It can also help to cut down the greenhouse gas emissions from the construction industry by encouraging the use of resources that are locally available. Thus, it is imperative to reliably predict different properties of soilcrete since the accurate determination of these properties is crucial for the widespread use of soilcrete materials. However, the laboratory determination of these properties is subjected to significant time and resource constraints. As a result, this research was undertaken to provide empirical prediction models for the density, shrinkage, and strain of soilcrete mixes using two machine learning algorithms: Gene Expression Programming (GEP) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB). The analysis revealed that XGB-based predictions correlated more with real-life values than GEP having training R2=0.999 for both density and shrinkage prediction and R2=0.944 for strain prediction. Moreover, several explanatory analyses including individual conditional expectation (ICE) analysis and shapely analysis were done on the XGB model which showed that water-to-binder ratio, metakaolin content, and modulus of elasticity are some of the most important variables for forecasting soilcrete materials properties. Furthermore, an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed for effective utilization in civil engineering industry to forecast these properties of soilcrete materials.

Cross-diffusion waves by cellular automata modeling: Pattern formation in porous media.

Porous earth materials exhibit large-scale deformation patterns, such as deformation bands, which emerge from complex small-scale interactions. This paper introduces a cross-diffusion framework designed to capture these multiscale, multiphysics phenomena, inspired by the study of multi-species chemical systems. A microphysics-enriched continuum approach is developed to accurately predict the formation and evolution of these patterns. Utilizing a cellular automata algorithm for discretizing the porous network structure, the proposed framework achieves substantial computational efficiency in simulating the pattern formation process. This study focuses particularly on a dynamic regime termed "cross-diffusion wave," an instability in porous media where cross-diffusion plays a significant role-a phenomenon experimentally observed in materials like dry snow. The findings demonstrate that external thermodynamic forces can initiate pattern formation in cross-coupled dynamic systems, with the propagation speed of deformation bands primarily governed by cross-diffusion and a specific cross-reaction coefficient. Owing to the universality of thermodynamic force-flux relationships, this study sheds light on a generic framework for pattern formation in cross-coupled multi-constituent reactive systems.

Efficient Separation of Adjacent Rare Earths in One Step by Using Ion‐microporous Metal–Organic Frameworks

AbstractHigh‐purity rare earth (REEs) materials are key raw materials for the development of cutting‐edge technologies. However, due to similar physical and chemical properties, separating adjacent REEs from actual samples faces a formidable challenge. To overcome this challenge, an ion‐microporous metal–organic framework (ATZ‐BTC‐Zn; MOFs) is designed and synthesized, featuring densely packed nano‐trap pockets constructed from non‐coordinating carboxyl and amino groups. The synergistic effect of open nano‐trap pockets and suitable ions channel in ATZ‐BTC‐Zn is highly responsive to the size variation of lighter REEs. Notably, the configuration of Zn(H2O)62+ counterion in ATZ‐BTC‐Zn is similar to lanthanide hydrated ions (Ln(H2O)63+), facilitating the efficient ion exchange between them in the high‐speed ion transport channel. This accelerates the diffusion of REEs within the MOF pores, enhancing the utilization of active adsorption sites and promoting the efficient capture of adjacent REEs by nano‐traps. The binary model experiments show high separation factors for adjacent REEs (SFLa/Nd = 908, SFCe/La = 543), demonstrating efficient separation by ATZ‐BTC‐Zn in one step. This capability achieves the selective separation of adjacent REEs in tailings wastewater, providing a strategy to infer the compatibility between MOFs and REEs.

Crystal Structure Analysis of Hydrogen-bearing Earth and Planetary Materials under High Pressure

Crystal Structure Analysis of Hydrogen-bearing Earth and Planetary Materials under High Pressure

Novel approach to identify soil compositional factors that control the compressive strength of unstabilized adobes and earth mortars

Because of their low embodied energy, recyclable nature, abundance of raw materials, and limited environmental impact, unstabilized adobes and earth mortars are preferred as earth building materials (EBMs). An ideal range of clay, sand, and Atterberg limits is recommended by earth building standards and references to create strong (≥2 MPa) unstabilized EBMs. But fulfilling these conditions does not guarantee the creation of robust earth materials. Prior research has suggested using surface area and cation exchange capacity to determine whether soils might generate strong EBMs.; they have also recognized the role of friction, particle interlock and bond strength in influencing the compressive strength. Nevertheless, no standard soil compositional parameter has been found in recent research to produce strong unstabilized EBMs (compressive strengths ≥2 MPa). A new soil compositional parameter known as the “C/S ratio”—where C and S stand for the clay and sand contents—was identified through the analysis of data on unstabilized adobes and earth mortars from six different countries. The compressive strengths of earth building materials are controlled by this parameter. The dry density and compressive strength of the unstabilized EBMs were altered by changes in soil structure brought about by variations in C/S ratios. Earth blocks with compressive strengths ≥2 MPa are produced from soils with C/S ratios between 0.35 and 1.6. To classify EBMs into distinct porosity groups, a dry density-based system is suggested.

Characterizations of Some Selected Clay Types for Cost Effective Wastewater Treatments

Water pollution poses a significant challenge to water consumption, particularly in relation to drinking purposes. Various factors such as industrial discharge, improper waste management, waste build-up, and natural activities contribute to the contamination of water bodies. Adequate water treatment plays a crucial role in the preservation of water quality and compliance with environmental regulations. The treatment process typically involves the application of physical, chemical, and biological techniques, with a common reliance on chemical substances and intricate systems. Recent studies have increasingly explored the utilization of cost-efficient natural materials for water treatment, highlighting benefits like affordability, user-friendliness, health advantages, and widespread availability. This particular investigation aimed to assess the suitability of selected natural substances for the treatment of wastewater, focusing primarily on methods like adsorption, absorption, and filtration. A number of earth materials, notably three distinct types of clays prevalent in Sri Lanka, were singled out for examination. The findings unveiled that these clays predominantly consist of over 75% iron in their mineral composition, with certain samples displaying finer particles to enhance porosity and permeability. These raw materials exhibit potential for the fabrication of wastewater treatment systems intended for the elimination of suspended particles, dissolved solids, heavy metals, pathogens, oils, and toxic compounds. Their distinct chemical properties render them appropriate for catalytic reactions and advanced chemical processes

Environmental impacts of electric motor technologies: Life cycle approach based on EuP Eco-Report

The industrial sector's need for efficient electric motors is paramount for both energy conservation and climate change mitigation. This study evaluates the environmental impacts of three motor technologies—Squirrel Cage Induction Motors (SCIM) at IE3, Synchronous Reluctance Motors (SynRM), and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM) at IE5—using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach with the EuP Eco-Report tool. The focus is on 11 kW, 4-pole motors, representing typical industrial applications. Results show that IE5 SynRMs and PMSMs offer significantly higher operational efficiency, with PMSMs reaching 95 % efficiency compared to 92.7 % for SCIMs. However, the environmental trade-offs are notable: SynRMs require 156.9 kg of materials, including 80.5 kg of electrical steel, while PMSMs demand 1.8 kg of rare earth materials, contributing to higher manufacturing impacts. Total energy consumption over 15 years in the operational phase reveals a consumption of 3.88 TJ for SCIM, 3.83 TJ for SynRM, and 3.79 TJ for PMSM, indicating substantial savings from higher efficiency motors. Despite their efficiency, PMSMs exhibit higher impacts in water use (1172 l in manufacturing) and heavy metal emissions, primarily due to challenges in recycling rare earth components. This analysis highlights the environmental cost-benefit trade-offs between improving operational efficiency and managing the resource-intense production of higher-efficiency motors. As electric motor technology evolves, careful consideration of life cycle impacts, especially in manufacturing and end-of-life phases, is essential to achieve sustainable energy solutions.

Interplay of Chinese rare earth elements supply and European clean energy transition: A geopolitical context analysis

The European clean energy sector sources approximately 98 % of its rare earth materials from China. We examine Chinese rare earth supply's effect on European renewable energy, particularly solar and wind sectors from 1990 to 2020. Using the gravity model, we find a positive correlation between China's rare earth supply and European solar energy during bullish markets. A similar response is seen in wind energy during bearish markets, considering global and China-specific geopolitical risks. We also observe a negative correlation between China's economic growth and mineral supply to Europe, with European income growth having no significant impact. Additionally, multiplicative economic growth negatively impacts Chinese mineral supply. The study also reveals a positive link between oil prices, rare earth export prices, geopolitical risks, and China's mineral exports. Distance negatively affects supply dynamics in the wind model but not in the solar model. However, the originality of this study lies in its examination of China's role as a rare earth supplier for Europe's clean energy transition, integrated into a gravity model. Significantly, this research provides potential trade insights and formulates an economic policy implication framework to guarantee a steady supply of China's rare earths for Europe's green deal objectives, while addressing the associated geopolitical risks.

Water Resistance of Compressed Earth Blocks Stabilised with Thermoactivated Recycled Cement.

Low water resistance is the main shortcoming of unfired earth materials, requiring chemical stabilisation for some durable applications. Ordinary Portland cement (PC) is an efficient stabiliser, but it goes against the ecological and sustainable nature of earth construction. This study explores the use of low-carbon thermoactivated recycled cement (RC) obtained from old cement waste as a new eco-efficient alternative to PC in the stabilisation of compressed earth blocks (CEBs). The objective is to improve the durability of the CEB masonry even when applied in direct contact with water, without compromising its eco-efficiency. The water resistance of the CEBs with 0% (unstabilised) and 5% and 10% (wt. of earth) stabiliser and partial to total replacement of PC with RC (0, 20, 50, 100% wt.) was evaluated in terms of compressive strength under different moisture contents, immersion and capillary water absorption, low-pressure water absorption, water permeability and water erosion. Low absorption and high resistance to water erosion were achieved in stabilised CEBs, regardless of the type of cement used. The incorporation of RC increased the total porosity and water absorption of the CEBs compared to PC, but significantly improved the water resistance of the unstabilised blocks. The eco-friendlier RC proved to be a promising alternative to PC stabilisation.

NEED ANALYSIS FOR PROBLEM BASED LEARNING E-COMIC ON EARTH AND SOLAR SYSTEM TOPIC

The aim of this study was to analyse the need for the development of science e-comic as learning media on earth and solar system topic. This research was conducted in 3 junior high schools in Sutera sub-district, based on the results of observations it is known that the school applies the kurikulum merdeka, and uses lecture and discussion methods in the learning process. However, there are obstacles that must be faced by teachers, namely the current package books/printed books are quite limited, so students have enough difficulty if they want to repeat learning material at home. This type of research is Research and Development (R&amp;D) using the 4-D development model. This research instrument consists of a validation questionnaire, a practicality questionnaire, and an effectiveness questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using a formula to analyze the results of the validity test, practicality test, and effectiveness test. Based on the above problems, researchers found the right and appropriate media to be developed and can be used easily by students and teachers, namely problem-based science e-comic learning media on earth and solar system material.

Iron Impurity Impairs the CO2 Capture Performance of MgO: Insights from Microscopy and Machine Learning Molecular Dynamics.

Magnesium oxide (MgO) is a promising sorbent for direct air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide. Iron (Fe) is a common impurity in naturally occurring MgO and minerals used to produce MgO, yet a molecular-scale understanding of Fe-doping effects on carbonation is lacking. Here, we observed reduced carbonation performance in Fe-doped MgO experimentally. The energetics of adsorbing a (bi)carbonate ion on pristine and Fe-doped MgO(001) surfaces were further investigated using ab initio and machine learning potential molecular dynamics coupled with metadynamics simulations. Both pristine and Fe-doped surfaces exhibited a basic (OH-) hydration layer, where the (bi)carbonate ion adsorption is thermodynamically favorable. However, the dissolution of surface Fe had smaller energy barriers and was more favorable than Mg. Leached Fe likely neutralized the near-surface basicity, yielding reduced reactivity on Fe-doped MgO. Our observations offer critical insights for material selection and emphasize the importance of evaluating the geologic origin of earth materials used for DAC.

Spatial heterogeneity of sediments on a topographically diverse descending plate at convergent margins: An example from the outer slope of the Mariana Trench

Unraveling deep ocean sediment composition and its controlling mechanisms is crucial to understanding the interplay between the Earth's surface and the deep Earth. Convergent margins are generally featured by various seafloor landforms, but how submarine topography affects sediment accumulation processes remains poorly understood. Here we focus on submarine surface sediments from the outer slope of the Mariana Trench (covering water depths of 1218–6310 m) and combine microscopic observation, clay mineralogy, and elemental geochemistry to characterize sediment composition and to reveal physical, chemical, and biological sedimentary processes at topographically diverse convergent margins. Smear slide observations indicate that foraminifera shells dominate in shallow areas, while pelagic clays and diatom oozes prevail in trench and slope areas. Clay minerals primarily consist of illite (26–98 %) with low crystallinity index values and diverse chemical index values, followed by chlorite (0–45 %) and kaolinite (0–29 %). Smectite (0–61 %, 46 of 70 samples have smectite contents <5 %) of the samples from the outer slope area is low but appears dominant close to the trench. Bulk element compositions are mainly affected by the relative calcareous, siliceous, and lithogenous components that dissolved or accumulated inconsistently as submarine topographic feature changes. Our results imply that submarine topography and sediment provenance lead to significant heterogeneity of sediment composition at topographically diverse convergent margins. The submarine topographic relief, together with associated bathymetry and deep-sea circulation primarily controls carbonate deposition on the Caroline Plateau, and influences the sinking particles (including diatom shells and arc volcanic-sourced materials) accumulation in the trench basin. Continent-derived aeolian dust introduces illite-rich detritus, while localized volcanism potentially contributes to smectite-rich sediment in certain topographic provinces. We propose that the deep sea sedimentation processes in the Mariana convergent system are more diverse and complex than those at the margins with relatively plain topographic characteristics (e.g., the Japan Trench). The significant heterogeneity on descending plates along convergent margins may lead to various subduction behaviors. These findings contribute to a better understanding of deep ocean sediment source-to-sink systems and have implications for Earth's material cycle and multi-sphere interaction studies.

Securing Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Needs for Sustainable Energy Initiatives.

Rare earth permanent magnets are vital in various sectors, including renewable energy conversion, where they are widely used in permanent magnet generators. However, the global supply and availability of these materials present significant risks, and their mining and processing have raised serious environmental concerns. This paper reviews the necessary legislative, economic, and technological measures that must be implemented to address these issues. While it may not be feasible to eliminate the risks associated with the availability of rare earth materials, researchers in the field of electrical generators can play a crucial role in significantly reducing the demand for newly mined and processed such materials, thereby mitigating the negative environmental impacts of their extraction and production.