Can North America mine enough rare earth elements?
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Jun-2026 13:16 ET (17-Jun-2026 17:16 GMT/UTC)
In the quest to create a robust supply chain of rare earth elements necessary for the clean energy revolution and everyday modern conveniences, North America has enough deposits of sufficient quality to begin looking in its own backyard, according to a University of Michigan study.
This study reviews ecological operation practices in China's Tarim and Irtysh River Basins, focusing on innovations such as multiscale reservoir ecological operations, ecological infiltration irrigation, and ecological water conveyance strategies. These approaches have effectively restored riparian vegetation, enhanced groundwater recharge, and improved biodiversity while balancing socioeconomic demands. The paper also discusses persisting challenges like climate variability and competing water demands. Lastly, the paper proposes an integrated framework combining reservoir regulation, ecological flow reconstruction, and targeted water delivery technologies to enhance sustainable water management in arid regions.
Launched at World Cities Summit 2026, the report offers an insightful resource for cities navigating rising heat in tropical urban environments.
A recent study published in National Science Review reveals that the spring Southern Annular Mode (SAM) underwent a marked spatial shift around 1998. Since then, its wave-like features have strengthened, enhancing its delayed impact on Antarctic summer sea ice. The 2022 and 2023 record-low events both followed strong spring positive SAM anomalies. The study further suggests that ENSO, through more frequent positive SAM-La Niña co-occurrence, may amplify SAM’s influence on Antarctic sea ice.