VOA科学技术2023 研究表明世界上有足够的稀土金属用于绿色能源（在线收听）

Study Says World Has Enough Rare Earth Metals for Green Energy

研究表明世界上有足够的稀土金属用于绿色能源

A recent study says there are enough rare earth metals on Earth for new "low-carbon electricity generation" technologies.

最近的一项研究表明，地球上有足够的稀土金属用于新的“低碳发电”技术。

Rare earth metals come from minerals found in countries around the world.

稀土金属来自世界各国发现的矿物。

The researchers said more mining is needed to make more of the valuable metals available to industry. Rare earth metals are in demand for products such as magnets, wind turbines, solar panels and computers. All are part of the "green energy" push to remove carbon gases from electricity generation.

研究人员表示，需要进行更多的开采，以使更多有价值的金属用于工业。稀土金属是磁铁、风力涡轮机、太阳能电池板和计算机等产品的需求。所有这些都是“绿色能源”努力的一部分，以消除发电中的二氧化碳。

The researchers said the amount of minerals available is enough to supply a switch to renewable energy. They wrote that the carbon gasses "related to electricity infrastructure may be substantial." But the study said it would be between one and nine percent of the world's budget for carbon gas production.

研究人员表示，可用的矿物质数量足以为可再生能源提供转换。他们写道，“与电力基础设施有关的碳排放量可能很大。”但研究称，这将占全球碳排放预算的1%至9%。

The study came out recently in the science publication Joule.

这项研究最近发表在科学刊物《焦耳》上。

Zeke Hausfather helped write the study. He is an expert who works at a technology company called Stripe and at Berkeley Earth, a non-profit climate research group. He called the process "big and messy." But he thinks reducing carbon gases, or "decarbonization," can be done. He said he is not worried about the long-term supply of rare earth materials.

Zeke Hausfather帮助撰写了这项研究。他是一名专家，在一家名为Stripe的科技公司和一家非盈利气候研究组织Berkeley Earth工作。他称这一过程“庞大而混乱”。但他认为，减少碳气体或“脱碳”是可以做到的。他表示，他不担心稀土材料的长期供应。

However, the scientists warn that in the early days of the switch to green energy, there will be shortages. For example, there could be a shortage of the element called dysprosium. It is used to make strong magnets. Industry will require three times more of the metal than is produced now. However, there is 12 times more dysprosium available than needed, the researchers said.

然而，科学家们警告说，在转向绿色能源的初期，将出现短缺。例如，可能缺少一种叫做镝的元素。它用来制造强磁铁。工业对金属的需求量将是现在的三倍。然而，研究人员表示，可用的镝是所需的12倍。

Another element is tellurium, which is used in large groups of solar panels, called solar farms. There is just enough of that material available if the world makes a fast push to solar power, the researchers said. In addition, there are other materials that can be used instead of tellurium if needed.

另一种元素是碲，它用于大型太阳能电池板，称为太阳能农场。研究人员表示，如果世界迅速发展太阳能，那么这种材料的供应量就足够了。此外，如果需要，还有其他材料可以代替碲。

Daniel Ibarra is an environment professor at Brown University. He did not take part in the study but knows about lithium shortages. He told the Associated Press that the study was "robust" and "debunks" concerns about running out of rare earth materials. He said the main question is if production of the materials can keep up with demand.

丹尼尔·伊巴拉是布朗大学的环境教授。他没有参加这项研究，但知道锂短缺。他告诉美联社，这项研究是“强有力的”，“揭穿”了人们对稀土材料耗尽的担忧。他说，主要问题是这些材料的生产能否跟上需求。

The United States Geological Survey reports that the countries with the largest supplies of rare earth metals are China, Vietnam, Russia and Myanmar, also known as Burma.

美国地质调查局报告称，稀土金属供应量最大的国家是中国、越南、俄罗斯和缅甸。

The study also noted that mining causes pollution. But the scientists said that if the world switches to green energy, the mining will not be a problem.

研究还指出，采矿会造成污染。但科学家们表示，如果世界转向绿色能源，采矿将不会成为问题。

Rob Jackson is an energy expert and studies how humans affect the earth, but was not involved in the study. He is a professor at Stanford University. He said even with evidence that there are enough rare earth materials, humans should still be concerned with creating less pollution. "Along with mining more, we should be using less," he said.

罗伯·杰克逊是一位能源专家，他研究人类如何影响地球，但没有参与这项研究。他是斯坦福大学的教授。他说，即使有证据表明有足够的稀土材料，人类仍应关注减少污染。“随着开采量的增加，我们应该减少使用，”他说。

The study centered on the creation of electric power and did not look at the materials used in electric car batteries. Hausfather said that study is too complicated and will be examined by the team next.

这项研究以创造电力为中心，没有研究用于电动汽车电池的材料。Hausfath表示，这项研究过于复杂，下一步将由团队进行检查。

Words in This Story

generation –n. the process of creating something, especially electricity

wind turbine –n. an electricity generator that uses wind for power

solar panel –n. a flat device that changes sunlight into electricity

infrastructure –n. structures, like roads, bridges and power stations, that are needed to operate a modern country

substantial –adj. a large amount, size or number

messy –adj. not organized or cared for

robust –adj. strong or impressive

debunk –v. to show that something is not true