"Without Rare Earths, Industry Comes to a Halt"... KIGAM Takes On China's Supply Chain Monopoly Head-On

Launch of Processing K-Plant and Recycling Technology Development

Unveiling Lunar Resource Exploration and AI Disaster Platform

"The reason why the United States and other countries do not engage in rare earth element refining and processing is not simply an environmental issue. It is because it is extremely difficult to catch up with the level of technology that China has accumulated over the past 40 years in a short period of time."

Kwon Ikyun, President of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), made this assessment of the global rare earth element supply chain at the '2026 KIGAM Media Day' held on May 12.

Rare earth elements are critical minerals essential for electric vehicle motors, semiconductors, defense, wind power generation, and displays. However, most of the supply chain, from mining to refining, separation, and processing, is centered in China. Recently, as the technological power struggle between the United States and China has intensified, rare earth elements have emerged as a national security asset that goes beyond economic issues.

Jung Kyungwoo, Director of the Resource Utilization Research Division at KIGAM, explained, "The rare earth element supply chain is not a resource created by nature, but an order created by human technology," and added, "Rare earth resources exist all over the world, but the path to turning them into materials needed for actual industry is dominated by China-centered processing technology." He further emphasized, "Ultimately, securing proprietary technology is essential for us to participate in the supply chain order and build our own system."

President Kwon stressed, "In the past, the rare earth processing industry moved from the United States to China due to low labor costs and environmental issues, but now the question is whether a country can develop the technology. In reality, China is the only country capable of implementing rare earth processing technology at an industrial scale at the same level as China."

To address this, KIGAM has launched full-scale efforts to localize rare earth separation and refining technology, as well as to develop key equipment for the 'Rare Earth Processing K-Plant.' In particular, the institute has set as its core objectives the acquisition of technology for recovering rare earth elements such as neodymium (Nd) and dysprosium (Dy) for high-performance magnets, as well as technology for separating heavy rare earth elements.

The institute is also accelerating efforts to establish a 'circular rare earth ecosystem' based on recycling, going beyond simple mining competition. Simultaneously, it is developing next-generation refining technology that uses eco-friendly solvents based on natural organic materials such as lactic acid and urea, instead of conventional sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid processes.

President Kwon stated, "The rare earth element supply chain is an order created by technology, not resources," and added, "To build a supply chain system led by Korea, we must secure full-cycle technology from exploration to processing and recycling."

KIGAM is expanding its presence not only in the rare earth supply chain but also in the field of space resource exploration.

The Planetary Geology Laboratory has completed the production of distribution maps for six elements on the lunar surface using gamma-ray spectrometer data from the Korean lunar orbiter 'Danuri.' Based on these maps, the laboratory is also conducting research to analyze the distribution of minerals and resources on the Moon and to assess promising resource areas.

In particular, the team has created maps of key lunar elements such as potassium (K), iron (Fe), and silicon (Si), as well as mineral maps. Based on this work, they have recommended candidate sites for the Korean lunar lander scheduled for 2032.

Im Jaesoo, Head of the Planetary Geology Laboratory at KIGAM, explained, "Lunar exploration is no longer just about achieving a landing, but about determining where to land and what resources can be secured. The Danuri data will become the core foundation for future lunar resource exploration and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) technology development."

The institute is currently also developing equipment for in-situ resource utilization, such as a lunar environment simulation vacuum chamber and a rover for resource collection.

The development of AI-based platforms for responding to geological disasters in the era of climate crisis is also gaining momentum.

Choi Ire, Senior Researcher at the Active Tectonics Research Center at KIGAM, unveiled the AI-based geological disaster response platform 'GUARDIAN' project, which integrates and analyzes space, surface, and subsurface data.

The GUARDIAN system integrates data from satellites, earthquakes, groundwater, weather, and ground conditions to detect and assess the risk of complex geological disasters such as earthquakes, coastal erosion, sinkholes, and landslides at an early stage. The platform aims to go beyond the traditional "post-response" disaster management system by providing AI-based decision-making capabilities to answer questions such as why an event occurred, how dangerous it is, and what should be done first.

In particular, KIGAM explained that the GUARDIAN Project has now reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7. This means that the system's performance can be validated in real-world environments, making it possible to move beyond the laboratory to demonstration and commercialization in connection with public disaster response systems.

Researcher Choi stated, "Geological disasters are no longer single disasters in specific regions, but are evolving into complex disasters intertwined with climate change, urban infrastructure, and underground space issues. GUARDIAN will develop into a national platform that not only monitors but also provides scientific judgment and response prioritization."

President Kwon remarked, "Whereas past geoscience research focused on finding 'subsurface resources,' in the future, it will expand into a national strategic technology that connects supply chains, space, and disaster management. We will strengthen our role as a research institute that protects both public safety and industrial competitiveness."