Dispersed element minerals are mainly used in four first-class industries, namely new material industry, new energy industry, new generation information technology and high-end equipment manufacturing industry, in strategic emerging industries, and are subdivided into nearly 10 sub-directions in five directions, involving more than 30 important products. Among them, the new material industry is the most widely used field, accounting for 9338%。In addition, due to the difference in the use of metals, the consumption proportion of different metals in strategic emerging industries is also quite different, such as rhenium, although the absolute amount of consumption in strategic emerging industries is not large, but its consumption in strategic emerging industries is as high as 85%, and although the consumption of cadmium is more than 2000t, it accounts for only 272% (see Figure 3). Let's take a look at the consumption status of dispersed element minerals in strategic emerging industries:
Fig. 3 Consumption proportion of strategic emerging industries with different dispersed element minerals **China Institute of Machinery Engineering.
1. Germanium ore
Germanium is chemically stable and widely used in semiconductors, optical fiber communications, infrared optics, solar cells, superconducting materials and other fields, and is an important strategic mineral resource. In 2020, the consumption of germanium in strategic emerging industries was 5772t, accounting for 37% of the total consumption of the year. Among the strategic emerging industries, germanium is mainly used in two primary industries, a new generation of information technology and new materials, involving three secondary industries and three first-class industries (see Figure 4). The application of germanium in the three secondary industries is as follows.
*: China Institute of Machinery).
1) Core electronics industry. Germanium is mainly used in the field of high energy storage and key electronic material manufacturing, and the key product is silicon material. In 2020, the consumption of germanium in this category was 234t, accounting for 15% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Germanium is mainly used in the field of high-purity metal manufacturing, and the key products are high-purity and ultra-pure germanium. In 2020, the consumption of germanium in this category was 1872t, accounting for 12% of the total consumption of the year.
3) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Germanium is mainly used in the field of intraocular crystal manufacturing, and the key products include zone melt germanium, single crystal germanium flakes, etc. In 2020, the consumption of germanium in this category was 156t, accounting for 10% of the total consumption of the year.
2. Gallium ore
As an important semiconductor material, gallium is widely used in radio communications, optical fiber communications, automotive radar, LED lighting and other fields. In 2020, the consumption of gallium in strategic emerging industries was 20736t, accounting for 72% of the total consumption that year. Among the strategic emerging industries, gallium is mainly used in two primary industries, the new material industry and the new energy industry, involving two secondary industries and three first-class industries (see Figure 5). The applications of gallium in the two secondary industries are as follows.
1) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Gallium is mainly used in the manufacture of semiconductor crystals and other mineral functional materials, and the key products include gallium arsenide single wafers, gallium arsenide epitaxial wafers, etc. In 2020, the consumption of gallium in this category was 19296t, accounting for 67% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Solar energy industry. Gallium is mainly used in the field of solar energy equipment and production equipment manufacturing, and the key product is thin film gallium absorber layer. In 2020, the consumption of gallium in this category was 144t, accounting for 5% of the total consumption of the year.
3. Indium ore
Indium has excellent light permeability and conductivity, and is an important raw material for the production of ITO targets, LED and solar CIGS films, which are widely used in strategic emerging industries. In 2020, indium consumption in strategic emerging industries was 329t, accounting for 95% of the total consumption that year. Among the strategic emerging industries, indium is mainly used in two primary industries, the new material industry and the new energy industry, involving three secondary industries and eight first-class industries (see Figure 6). The applications of indium in the three secondary industries are as follows.
1) Advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Indium is mainly used in the manufacture of aluminum and aluminum alloys, the manufacture of rare metal materials, etc., and the key products include ITO targets, Al-IN alloys, etc. In 2020, indium consumption in this category was 27066t, accounting for 78% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Indium is mainly used in the manufacture of intraocular crystals, and the key products include indium phosphide monocrystals and monocrystals. In 2020, indium consumption in this category was 3817t, accounting for 11% of the total consumption of the year.
3) Solar energy industry. It is mainly used in the field of solar energy equipment and production equipment manufacturing, and the key products are photovoltaic thin films. In 2020, the consumption of indium in this category was 2082t, accounting for 6% of the total consumption of the year.
4. Rhenium ore
Rhenium has excellent characteristics such as catalysis, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, and is mainly used in catalysts, superalloys and other fields. In 2020, the consumption of rhenium in strategic emerging industries was 68t, accounting for 85% of the total consumption of the year. Among the strategic emerging industries, rhenium is mainly used in two primary industries, namely high-end equipment manufacturing and new material industry, involving two secondary industries and three first-class industries (see Figure 7). The application of rhenium in 3 secondary industries is as follows.
*: China Institute of Machinery).
1) Aviation equipment industry. Rhenium is mainly used in other aviation equipment manufacturing and related service fields, and the key products include aero engine complete engines and parts. In 2020, the consumption of rhenium in this category of products was 4t, accounting for 50% of the total consumption that year.
2) Advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Rhenium is mainly used in the manufacturing of other non-ferrous metal materials, and the key products include high-purity, ultra-pure rhenium, high-temperature alloys, rare metal protective coating materials, etc. In 2020, the consumption of rhenium in this category of products was 28t, accounting for 35% of the total consumption of the year.
5. Tellurium ore
Tellurium is widely used in the manufacture of additives in the metallurgical field, and high-purity tellurium is made into alloys, targets, semiconductors, refrigeration materials, etc. In 2020, the consumption of tellurium in strategic emerging industries was 11214t, accounting for 42% of the total consumption of the year. Among the strategic emerging industries, tellurium is mainly used in two primary industries, namely the new material industry and the new energy industry, involving three secondary industries and five first-class industries (see Figure 8). The application of tellurium in the three secondary industries is as follows.
*: China Institute of Machinery).
1) Advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Tellurium is mainly used in the manufacture of copper and copper alloys, and other non-ferrous metal materials, and the key products include bismuth-silicon tellurium-based lead-free free-cutting copper alloys, tellurium zinc-cadmium targets, etc. In 2020, tellurium consumption in this category was 6141t, accounting for 23% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Tellurium is mainly used in the manufacture of intraocular crystals and mineral functional materials, and the key products include cadmium telluride crystals, single crystals, acousto-optic crystals, etc. In 2020, tellurium consumption in this category was 3204t, accounting for 12% of the total consumption of the year.
3) Solar energy industry. Tellurium is mainly used in the manufacture of solar materials, and the key products include cadmium telluride. In 2020, the consumption of tellurium in this category was 1869t, accounting for 7% of the total consumption of the year.
6. Thallium ore
Thallium is widely used in military industry, chemical industry, metallurgy, communication and other fields, and has potential application value in optical fibers, catalysts and superconducting materials. In 2020, the consumption of thallium in strategic emerging industries was 023t, accounting for 32% of the total consumption of the year. Among the strategic emerging industries, thallium is mainly used in the new material industry, involving 1 secondary industry and 1 first-class industry (see Figure 9). The application of thallium in 1 secondary industry is as follows.
Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Thallium is mainly used in the field of intraocular lens manufacturing, and the key products include scintillation crystals (including CDWO4, BGO, Naitl(), etc.). In 2020, the consumption of thallium in this category was 023t, accounting for 32% of the total consumption of the year.
7. Cadmium ore
Cadmium is widely used in industries such as alloy manufacturing, and cadmium compounds are widely used in the manufacture of pigments, plastic stabilizers, phosphors, etc. In 2020, the consumption of cadmium in strategic emerging industries was 2,353t, accounting for 27% of the total consumption that year2%。Among the strategic emerging industries, cadmium is mainly used in two primary industries, namely the new material industry and the new energy industry, involving three secondary industries and five first-class industries (see Figure 10). The applications of cadmium in the three secondary industries are as follows.
*: China Institute of Machinery).
1) Advanced non-ferrous metal materials. Cadmium is mainly used in the manufacture of rare metal materials and other non-ferrous metal materials, and the key products include high-quality indium processing materials, tellurium zinc cadmium targets, etc. In 2020, the consumption of cadmium in this category of products was 129780t, accounting for 15% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Cadmium is mainly used in the manufacture of intraocular crystals and mineral functional materials, and the key products include cadmium telluride crystals and single crystals, scintillation crystals, high-purity cadmium telluride, etc. In 2020, the consumption of cadmium in this category of products was 103824t, accounting for 12% of the total consumption of the year.
3) Solar energy industry. Cadmium is mainly used in the manufacture of solar materials, and the key products include cadmium telluride. In 2020, the consumption of cadmium in this category was 1869t, accounting for 02%。
8. Selenium ore
Selenium is a non-metallic element that can be used as an essential nutrient for animals such as photosensitive materials and catalysts for the electrolytic manganese industry. In 2020, the consumption of selenium in strategic emerging industries was 69664t, accounting for 28% of the total consumption of the year. Among the strategic emerging industries, selenium is mainly used in two primary industries, the new material industry and the new energy industry, involving two secondary industries and two first-class industries (see Figure 11). The application of selenium in 2 secondary industries is as follows.
*: China Institute of Machinery).
1) Advanced inorganic non-metallic materials. Selenium is mainly used in the manufacture of mineral functional materials, and the key products include high-purity selenium, high-purity gallium selenide, etc. In 2020, the consumption of selenium in this category was 54736t, accounting for 22% of the total consumption of the year.
2) Solar energy industry. Selenium is mainly used in the field of solar energy equipment and production equipment manufacturing, and the key products include thin film selenium absorption layer co-evaporation coating equipment. In 2020, the consumption of selenium in this category was 14928t, accounting for 6% of the total consumption of the year.
According to the above analysis, in 2020, the total consumption of dispersed element minerals in strategic emerging industries was 376289t (metal volume), accounting for 30 of the total consumption of the year82%, of which, germanium is 5772t, gallium is 20736t, 329t for indium and 6 for rhenium8t, tellurium is 11214t, thallium is 023t, cadmium is 2353t, selenium is 69664t。(Authors: Che Dong, Zhang Zhaozhi, Pan Zhaoshuai, Xing Enyuan).