By Shane Lasley
Metal Tech News
Rio Tinto to produce tellurium in the US
To recover critical solar energy mineral from Utah refinery Metal Tech News – March 10, 2021
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Last updated 7/10/2022 at 3:08pm
First Solar Inc.
Cadmium telluride solar panels are driving increased demand for tellurium, a rare critical mineral recovered as a byproduct during the refining of copper and other metals.
With solar panel production driving up the demand for tellurium, Rio Tinto plans to recover roughly 20 metric tons of this critical mineral per year from its Kennecott copper mine near Salt Lake City, Utah.
One of the rarest stable elements on the periodic table, tellurium is almost always recovered as a byproduct of refining other metals it is associated with.
"Most rocks contain an average of...
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