Australia's plans to mine and process rare earths threaten biodiversity.[5] The processing of these minerals is environmentally demanding and leads to habitat loss, soil erosion and water pollution.[5] An article in the journal Science (Volume 391, Issue 6780, Pages 32-33, January 2026) highlights these risks in relation to expanding projects in Australia.[5] Projects include methods such as in-situ recovery (ISR), which are planned for early 2026 to produce 4,000-5,000 tons of mixed rare earth carbonate per year.[1] These activities take place on areas of over 3,300 km² in South Australia, where the mineralization is confined in an aquifer with high salinity.[1] Despite measures to limit acids, the overall impact includes disruption of natural systems.[1][5] Australia is developing strategic reserves of critical minerals with an allocation of $1.2 billion from the second half of 2026.[6]