“Upgrade Mentality” Contributing to Scarcity of Rare Earths

The Guardian reported yesterday that the current “upgrade mentality,” which spurs consumers to “replace perfectly good IT solutions or devices with new technology,” is increasing the likelihood of a rare earths shortage.

As quoted in the market news:

With rare earth metals becoming increasingly scarce and China tightening its grip on the mining industry, tech manufacturers and consumers need to rethink how they market and consume technology. Companies must refrain from tearing out IT infrastructure unless it is absolutely necessary, while manufacturers must take a much more responsible approach to their production processes. As consumers, we must break the upgrade habit and keep devices for longer, considering repair before replacement. And we mustn’t forget that when technology does eventually come to the end of its lifecycle, it must be disposed of both safely and ethically.

Click here to read the full report from The Guardian.