The mission to secure rare earths for use in Europe’s high-tech industries

Dr Arne Petter Ratvik is championing high-tech goods for Europe through a low-tech source: fertiliser. 

Dr Ratvik, a metals expert at independent Norwegian research organisation SINTEF, says raw materials needed by the European auto, computer, electronics, energy and other industries can be extracted from ordinary fertiliser production.

Magnetic attraction

Industrial magnets, for example, are made from raw materials known as rare…