An introduction to yttrium

Yttrium demand and end-uses

Yttrium is a rare earth element with demand driven by a diverse range of uses. Some of the primary end-uses and applications for yttrium include phosphors for colour TV and LED displays to enhance colour and brightness, a component in high-temperature superconductors, ceramics (knives, dental implants, engine components, nitrides and Y-stabilised ceramics, which protect jet engines), an alloying component of aluminium and magnesium alloys (for aerospace applications to improve strength and performance), catalysts to enhance efficiency (polymerisation of ethylene, and catalytic converters), and medical treatments (where yttrium-90 is suitable for targeting liver tumours in radioembolization), solid oxide fuel cells (advancing energy efficiency and sustainability) and military applications (weapon systems, communication, electronic warfare defence and flight control motors). 

Yttrium supply

Yttrium is produced as a by-product from heavy mineral sands (ion-adsorption clays), rare earth mining (predominantly monazite, xenotime and bastnäsite minerals), uranium ores and coal ash. Yttrium can also be found in other minerals such as eudialyte, fergusonite, gadolinite, xenotime, ytrrialite and yttrium fluorite, niobium-tantalum minerals, and phosphorites (sedimentary phosphate deposits).

Yttrium supply is predominantly from China. Other yttrium resources have been identified in the United States, Australia, Brazil, India, Russia, South Korea, and Southeast Asia such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar.