Rare earth elements sit at the center of many technologies needed for electrification, high-efficiency motors and advanced digital devices. Yet almost all commercial production today is tied to China, where extraction and separation methods have long relied on chemically intensive and environmentally difficult processes. This concentration of production has shaped international politics as much as materials engineering. Recent trade tensions, export controls and strategic agreements involving the United States, China, Greenland and Ukraine have underscored how vulnerable the global supply chain remains when one country controls nearly all downstream processing capacity.
In this context, researchers in Sweden are working to understand whether domestic deposits could provide an alternative source and whether new magnet chemistries could reduce dependence on imports altogether. Materials chemist Martin Sahlberg at Uppsala University leads a long-term effort studying how rare earth elements found in Sweden might be extracted and used in ways that better align with the environmental expectations of the European Union. He notes that the difficulty with rare earths is not scarcity, but the need for high concentrations to make mining viable and the challenge of separating the metals from minerals that often contain radioactive elements. Conventional processing requires large amounts of acids and produces waste streams that are difficult to manage responsibly, which is one reason much of the world shifted production to China in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Asker, S. (2025). Basic research challenges China’s monopoly on rare earth elements. Phys.org / Uppsala University. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-basic-china-monopoly-rare-earth.html
Sweden, however, has geological conditions that differ from many other regions. Deposits in Kiruna, Bergslagen and Norra Kärr contain mineral resources that could support extraction if the separation steps can be redesigned to meet environmental standards without making production prohibitively expensive. Sahlberg explains that the goal is not just to mine ore but to understand the distribution of all elements present so that no part of the material flow is wasted. This approach avoids targeting a single high-value metal and instead maps the entire composition of the deposit. In his words, the work resembles taking inventory of a refrigerator before deciding what recipes are possible; the team identifies what elements are available and then reconstructs magnet formulations that make use of them.
Martin Sahlberg at Uppsala University stated,
“Today, China basically has a world monopoly, but we not only have deposits but also good access to water and relatively cheap energy. There is also an interest in leading the green transition here in Sweden.”
Recent research from European materials institutes and international geological surveys has emphasized that Sweden’s energy infrastructure, water access and political interest in the green transition could make it one of the few countries positioned to develop a fully domestic rare-earth value chain. These independent assessments echo what scientists at Uppsala describe in their own publications: that basic research on mineralogy, magnet design and separation chemistry must progress together if a sustainable pathway from rock to finished component is to be established.
Sahlberg describes the work as basic research driven by application needs rather than commercial timelines. Engineers, geologists and theoretical physicists are collaborating to model which separation routes might work at scale and what adjustments to magnet structure would be required if Swedish deposits become a primary feedstock. Because China’s export controls and market shifts can affect global manufacturing almost immediately, the group sees value in developing alternatives even if they are years away from deployment. The long perspective, they argue, is essential for strategic materials.
Although the project is still in its early phase, it represents a shift in how countries think about rare earths. Instead of assuming that extraction and separation must follow existing industrial models, the Swedish effort looks at the entire system as one continuous engineering problem. If new magnet compositions can be designed around the elements actually available in local deposits, the environmental footprint of both mining and manufacturing could be reduced. The work also reflects a broader trend in materials science: linking fundamental chemistry with geopolitical and sustainability considerations.
For now, the team continues its detailed mapping of mineral compositions while modelling potential magnet structures that align with Sweden’s geological profile. Whether this research eventually challenges China’s dominance will depend not only on scientific advances but also on political decisions and industrial investment. Still, the project illustrates how long-range materials research can contribute to technological resilience in areas where supply chains remain fragile and global demand continues to grow.
Adrian graduated with a Masters Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Chester University along with Harris. His master’s research aimed to develop a standardadised clean water oxygenation transfer procedure to test bubble diffusers that are currently used in the wastewater industry commercial market. He has also undergone placments in both US and China primarely focused within the R&D department and is an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
