Rare Earth Metals Become A Foreign Target, Apparently Indonesia Has It In 28 Locations

DOK PHOTO / esdm.go.id

JAKARTA - Indonesia turns out to have a "treasure" hidden at the bottom of the earth that is super rare called rare earth metals (LTJ) or rare earth elements, but it has not yet been developed.

In fact, at this time the world is competing to find this super rare "treasure" because of its great benefits in this modern era.

The number of countries that are eyeing rare earth metals is because in the midst of current technological advances, rare earth metals are needed. The mineral is the raw material for technological equipment.

Starting from batteries, cell phones, electronics industry to new renewable energy-based power plants such as Solar Power Plants (PLTS). In fact, it can be used as raw material for electric vehicles to the defense industry or military equipment.

Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ridwan Djamaluddin, said that currently the world is actively discussing rare earth metals. In Indonesia alone, 28 locations of rare earth metals have been found. The data is sourced from surveys conducted by geologists.

"We are aware that based on the survey conducted by geology, there are at least 28 locations of rare earth minerals with potential for exploration," he said in a webinar titled 'Minerba Series entitled Mineral for Energy', Friday, September 10.

Regarding these rare earth metals, said Ridwan, the country in the world that has been able to explore massively is China. There is also a production capability of 84 percent of the world's capacity.

"China, as a big country, is actively carrying out this activity, both sourced from materials in their own country, and actively collecting from various sources in other countries," he said.

Not only China, said Ridwan, Australia has also done the same thing with 11 percent of production from global capacity. Then, Russia accounts for 2 percent of production and India which occupies the percentage of production, which is 1 percent.

"And the rest are few other countries. This means that we are also part of other countries which are few in number. However, at least we have enough raw materials for us to manage as a future energy source and also a source for driving the economy," he said. .