Radify Metals Redefines Rare Earth Processing With Clean Plasma Technology

Rare Earths As A Geopolitical Leverage

Rare earth elements account for a small share of global metals markets but remain critical for electronics, defense, and energy systems. China continues to dominate supply and processing capacity. Governments, including the United States, are investing in alternative supply chains. New mining and refining projects are under development, though scaling remains limited compared with existing Chinese capacity.

A Revolutionary Approach To Metal Refining

Zach Detweiler, co-founder and CEO of Radify Metals, said conventional refining relies on heat or water-based processes to remove oxygen from metal oxides. These methods require significant energy and generate industrial waste. Radify Metals is developing an alternative approach to convert metal oxides into pure metals with reduced byproducts.

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The Promise Of Plasma Technology

Plasma-based processes can remove oxygen from metal oxides, producing metal and water vapor as output. High costs have historically limited industrial use. Radify Metals said it has developed a reactor combining power electronics and materials handling systems to improve efficiency and scalability.

Scaling For Resilience And Flexibility

The company’s reactor is designed to produce metals such as dysprosium and samarium, which are used in magnets and electronic components. A modular design allows production units to operate at smaller scale compared with traditional systems. Detweiler said this flexibility enables switching between metals such as titanium and zirconium depending on market conditions.

A Vision Beyond Rare Earths

Radify Metals operates from Campbell, California, with a team of five employees. The company plans to increase output from several kilograms per day to a pilot reactor producing up to 100 kilograms daily. In addition to rare earth elements, the company is testing applications for metals including hafnium, scandium, titanium, iron, and aluminium.

An Industry Poised For Transformation

New refining technologies are being developed as countries seek to reduce dependence on existing supply chains. Radify Metals said its approach focuses on lower emissions and flexible production. Industry participants are monitoring whether such technologies can scale to commercial levels.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.

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