Target: Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment for China
Goal: Make rare earth mineral processing less destructive to environmental wellness and public health.
Rare earth minerals had a turn in the spotlight when the U.S. president made them a conditional part of a deal to continue supplying Ukraine military supplies in its ongoing war against Russian aggression. The group of 17 metals is used in the creation of batteries, computers, weapons, and other technologies. Around 110 million tons exist across the globe, primarily in China. The abundance of these “rare” minerals is rivaled only by their potential for environmental disaster.
Rare mineral mining necessitates chemicals that in turn create toxic waste in large quantities. Huge rock supplies may only produce a small amount of metal powder. Tailings ponds – ditches where mineral waste byproducts are dumped – have become a notorious reality in regions of China where processing plants are located. Critics have long alleged that these plants and waste disposal sites are responsible for higher rates of birth defects and cancer in surrounding communities. Evidence of the waste has also emerged in water supplies. Proposed deep sea mining also poses a critical danger to marine ecosystems, according to scientists.
While Chinese leaders have vowed to convert more waste sites into environmentally friendly areas, they have yet to take the one step that could make the most difference: exploring safer methods of mining. Sign the petition below to demand these leaders start putting the welfare of people and of the planet ahead of greed and life-endangering profit.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Runqiu,
The conversion of the Baotou tailings pond into a wetland was a promising sign that China has acknowledged the public and environmental health dangers of current rare earth mineral extraction and processing. Poor, disadvantaged communities have suffered, as evidenced by the notorious “cancer villages” around processing sites. But much work remains if leadership intends to keep its promises.
Invest in the methods that remove many of the more harmful practices and replace them with safer, more efficient, and healthier alternatives. The price for this commitment may be high in the short-term, but it will pay dividends in the long-term. If rare earth minerals are an integral part of the world’s future, ensure China leads the way in crafting a future that helps rather than hurts humanity and the world we all call home.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: D. Hardesty
