Deposits of rare earth metals, the crucial ingredients in electric vehicles and wind turbines, could be present in ancient volcanoes across the world

As the world scrambles for materials needed for the green transition, scientists believe that ancient volcanoes could be the key.

Earth’s extinct volcanoes might be an untapped source of highly in-demand rare earth elements. A set of lab-based experiments revealed that some of these 17 elements could be lurking in the mysterious iron-rich magma entombed within these formerly explosive landforms.

Research indicates that iron-rich magma found in extinct volcanoes could be a potent source of rare earth elements, essential for modern technologies like smartphones and renewable energy systems. Sci

Extinct volcanoes are hard to study – we never see them erupt. Using a unique experimental technique, we were able to recreate a certain type of extinct volcano in a lab, learning more about the magma these volcanoes produce.

Rare earth minerals needed to fuel the transition to renewable energy and create everything from TVs to smartphones could be found inside dormant volcanoes.