Uruguay under scrutiny for "rare earths" in its subsoil: a multi-million dollar find or a bottomless suspicion?
Rare earths are everywhere: from our cell phone screens to wind turbines. They are 17 minerals that, despite their name, are not that rare, but are very difficult to obtain in their pure form. Their importance is such that they have become deeply involved in the geopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China, which is currently the world's leading producer. And in the midst of all this chaos , the issue came up in the Uruguayan Parliament.
Representative Gustavo Salle, of the Sovereign Identity party, requested a report from the Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining (MIEM) to determine whether Uruguay has rare earth deposits . The response, which came from the National Mining Directorate (Dinamige), confirmed that these minerals are present in the country, and that scientific research is even underway.
An "anomaly" on the border between Florida and Lavalleja
Dinamige director Néstor Campal explained that more than a decade ago, a "strong anomaly" of uranium and thorium was detected in an area near the town of Illescas, on the border between Florida and Lavalleja. This discovery, at the time, served as the trigger for the institution to request a mining reserve and conduct the initial studies.
According to the report submitted to Salle, the results "indicate the need to continue research" to see if it's worth investing more money into a larger exploration. The area of interest covers approximately 11,000 hectares, although Campal admitted that it's unlikely Uruguay will become a mining powerhouse for these materials. The process for obtaining rare earths is extremely complicated and highly polluting.
Old Ancap investigations
The file also revealed that Ancap conducted studies in Rocha between 1957 and 1963, searching for energy minerals. However, in this context , they never specifically sought out rare earth minerals. Furthermore, the full reports of these investigations are unavailable.
The fact is that, although several companies have expressed interest in the past, none of the final exploration reports have confirmed the existence of mineral sources of economic interest. For now, the commercial vein of rare earths in the country remains unexplored, but suspicions, at least in one inland area, are more alive than ever.
