Worker Health Considerations in Rare Earth Element Mining

Our first technical event for 2023 was a lecture entitled ‘Worker Health Considerations in Rare Earth Element Mining’.  It will be delivered by Courtney Gordon of WSP Golder Canada on January 12th.  She will be presenting virtually from Canada.  This event was seen with a gathering of mineral industry professionals at the IoM3 office in London and online.

Managing worker exposures associated with rare earth element (REE) mining will require increased attention as the global market expands. Components manufactured from REEs are essential to a variety of electronics and green energy technologies. The growing demand for these products has resulted in an increasing number of production projects outside China, currently the world’s largest producer. It is important to understand the unique occupational health risks of REE mining. These include the REEs themselves, and the naturally-occurring radioactive elements uranium and thorium that often occur in REE deposits. Limited research has been conducted on the toxicity of the 17 elements known collectively as the “rare earth elements”, and subsequently there is a lack of published occupational exposure limits (OELs). A summary of the health effects associated with exposure to REEs will be presented, along with strategies to assess and control exposures. The methods for conducting an initial assessment of radiation exposure resulting from the decay of uranium and thorium will be presented, along with management approaches based on published guidelines. The early assessment of risks and adoption of best practices to limit harmful exposures will help reduce the burden of occupational disease in this rapidly expanding industry.

Courtney is an Occupational Hygienist with WSP Golder Canada, based on Nanaimo British Columbia. She has over ten years of experience within the disciples of environment, health and safety (EHS), and community health. Courtney graduated with a Master of Public Health in Occupational and Environmental Health from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Western Ontario. Courtney’s primary focus is managing occupational hygiene programs and performing risk assessments in the mining sector. Courtney is committed to applying her scientific knowledge to protect workers and their communities through open communication of risks.

WSP is one of the world’s leading engineering, environmental and professional services firm. With over 3,000 people focused on the mining industry, our experts in Mine Water, Mine Waste, Environment, Health & Safety, Mine Infrastructure, Mineral Processing and Mine Engineering & Stability, and Geology have a long history of delivering excellence to our clients across the world. Our global team partners with clients to help them tackle their toughest challenges, meeting the needs of today and preparing for a sustainable and resilient future. WSP’s global Mine Safety and Industrial Hygiene team helps to develop a socially responsible rare earth element mining industry by anticipating, assessing, and controlling hazards faced by the workforce and nearby communities.

This lecture is available on YouTube at this LINK.