Rare earth mining is an important industry, but it also causes significant environmental damage. Jane Marsh, editor-in-chief of Environmental.co, explores how South Africa is now at the forefront of changing that narrative.
Rare earth elements (REEs) are important for many environmentally friendly devices, such as solar panels and electric car batteries. However, mining these materials has proven to be wasteful in many ways. South Africa is finding and adapting new ways to extract rare earth elements so that humanity can continue to reduce its environmental footprint without eliminating advanced technology.
the need for change
The transition to clean electricity is necessary, but energy demand is rapidly increasing faster than most people can responsibly meet it. Local governments have a hard time reining in companies that don’t follow sustainability best practices. In addition to displacing local populations and engaging in hazardous labor practices, rampant REE mining is accelerating the destruction of Africa’s biodiversity. Given that this continent holds 15% of the world’s rare earth resources, changes are needed to protect its wildlife.
New laws shaping the future of the industry
The Mineral Resources Development Bill (MRDB) is a 2025 bill aimed at tightening up South Africa’s mining industry. It sets out regulations to manage mine tailings and closures, and aims to align them with global goals while providing financial resources for environmental remediation. This support is essential, as addressing environmental issues cost-effectively is critical to market success, shareholder returns and good reputation.
Official recognition of small-scale mines also means that they can occupy more space in the market alongside larger companies. Closer oversight of these large operations will help force these changes, which may require investment in new technology. The MRDB will help South Africa eliminate confusion around compliance and align the mining sector with customer and investor expectations for environmental awareness.
New project to clean up mining activity
In the field, a Johannesburg laboratory has discovered a way to extract rare earth elements from phosphogypsum stacks. These are by-products of phosphoric acid production and are often treated as waste. However, Rainbow Rare Earth’s in-house lab is able to achieve 65% REE recovery, which eliminates long periods, high costs, and risk to crew.
This initiative is part of an on-site rehabilitation project in Phalaborwa. Three phosphate fertilizer companies have owned the company since 1964, but in 2020 Rainbow signed a deal with then-owner Bosveld Phosphates to take control. Rainbow chief executive George Bennett said the area had been severely damaged by nearly 60 years of mining and that due to poor regulations, the phosphogypsum piles were not lined, allowing groundwater contamination.
To reverse this, Rainbow plans to reprocess the stacks of REEs and restack them in a manner consistent with regulatory guidelines. Workers neutralize the acidic water produced by the phosphogypsum and use it for treatment needs, eliminating the need for external sources. Rainbow will then sell clean plaster to restore Phalaborwa to its natural state.
Sustainable mining of rare earths is important in South Africa and beyond
These efforts in South Africa are just the beginning. Mining decision-makers can look for similar opportunities to clean up the local rare earth rare earth industry to follow in the nation’s footsteps and advance a green future for the workplace.
Jane Marsh is an experienced environmental journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Environment.co, specializing in in-depth coverage of environmental trends, sustainability and the evolving energy landscape. Jane brings a keen perspective to the intersection of energy innovation and industry practices through work that has been featured in major platforms such as Renewable Energy Magazine, Manufacturing.net, and Nation of Change.
The article is available online: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/11092025/from-waste-to-wealth-how-south-africa-is-mining-rare-earths-sustainably/
