Q What alternatives to rare earth-based catalysts can petroleum refiners consider? A Mark Schmalfeld, Global Marketing Manager, Refining Catalyst, BASF, mark.schmalfeld@basf.com Rare earth oxides (REOs), particularly lanthanum, con- tinue to play a critical role in modern fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts. They provide hydrothermal stability to Y zeolite under severe operating conditions while support - ing an effective balance of activity, selectivity, and metals tolerance. At present, there is no direct, full replacement for rare earths that can deliver equivalent performance across the broad range of commercial FCC applications. That said, refiners do have options to reduce, though not fully eliminate, rare earth usage, depending on feedstock quality, operating severity, and product objectives. One approach involves the increased use of shape-selec - tive zeolites, such as ZSM-5, in combination with lower REO base catalysts. These additives are particularly effec - tive in petrochemical-oriented FCC operations, where shift - ing product yield toward light olefins is a priority. However, ZSM-5 functions as a secondary catalyst and does not replace zeolite-Y’s role in providing total conversion or long-term hydrothermal stability. Another pathway is the use of higher matrix, lower zeo - lite-Y catalyst formulations, which inherently reduce total rare earth demand by shifting some cracking functionality from zeolite to matrix components. These systems can be attractive for resid or metals-rich feeds, but they typically involve trade-offs such as reduced gasoline selectivity, higher bottoms yield, or narrower operating flexibility. Rare-earth-free FCC catalysts have been commercially available for decades, yet their adoption has remained lim - ited. In most applications, the operational benefits derived from rare earth chemistry, particularly stability and selectivity control, outweigh the advantages of their complete removal. Additional strategies include the use of alternative metals traps (for example, magnesium or calcium-based systems) and alternative stabilising ions in zeolite-Y, such as phospho - rus or manganese. While these approaches can contribute to reduced rare earth usage, they are associated with well- understood trade-offs in acidity control, coke selectivity, metals tolerance, or long-term stability. As a result, they have complemented rather than displaced rare earth chemistry. In summary, while several technical strategies exist to reduce rare earth content in FCC catalysts, rare earths remain the most cost-effective and reliable means of stabi - lising zeolite-Y and controlling selectivity under modern FCC conditions. For the foreseeable future, rare earth reduction will remain an exercise in optimisation rather than wholesale substitution within commercially proven FCC technology. A Herb Telidetzki, FCC and Alkylation Advisor, htelidetzki@becht.com, and Scott Sayles, Manager, Renewable Fuels and Alternate Feeds, ssayles@becht. com, Becht Rare earth is used to hydrothermally stabilise zeolite. Removing zeolite increases olefin yields but also leads to more rapid deactivation.
During the last significant price increase in 2010, rare earth prices skyrocketed from $8/kg to $140/k, result - ing in soaring FCC catalyst costs. Current prices are more stable because light rare earths such as lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) are relatively abundant. However, the rare earth lanthanum-neodymium (LaNd) is used in lithium ion batteries for EVs, which has caused a large spike in the demand-supply curve for LaNd. The interesting outcome is that La and Ce are co-produced from LaNd production and are in lower demand, which is stabilising pricing. To manage the 2010 spike, rare earth content in FCC catalysts was reduced despite impacts on activity and the need for higher catalyst addition. Catalyst suppliers also found alternatives to rare earths, and catalysts were refor - mulated to these new grades. Although not as effective as rare earths, these new formulations performed significantly better than the zero-rare-earth options. Fortunately, rare earth concentrations in FCC catalysts remain low, and prices are not fluctuating. However, if this should change, catalyst suppliers have alternatives available. A Michael Hawkins, Regional Marketing Manager, Americas, Michael.hawkins@grace.com, and Gary Cheng, Director, FCC Strategic Marketing, gary.cheng@grace.com, W. R. Grace & Co. (Grace) Rare earths became valuable in FCC catalysts because they solved a fundamental problem. Early FCC catalysts were amorphous silica-alumina materials with low activity that struggled to handle heavier, metal-contaminated feeds. The introduction of zeolite-Y in the early 1960s was a break - through, delivering orders of magnitude higher activity and enabling modern FCC unit designs. However, zeolite-Y rap - idly collapsed under FCC hydrothermal conditions, losing aluminum from its framework through dealumination. Researchers discovered that exchanging zeolite-Y with rare earth cations, primarily lanthanum, dramati - cally improved performance. Rare earths anchor frame - work aluminum, suppressing dealumination and zeolite destruction. This preserves acidity, maintains activity, and enables higher severity FCC operation. As crude slates became heavier and higher in contaminants, rare earths also provided a means to trap and passivate metals such as vanadium, helping limit their detrimental impacts on unit operation. Today, rare earth availability is less certain, as persis- tent geopolitical tensions, de-globalisation pressures, and supply chain disruptions continue to interact in unpredict- able ways. In prior rare earth crises and supply-challenged environments, researchers and FCC experts rose to the challenge and developed alternatives, including zero- and low-rare-earth FCC catalysts and additives for both hydrotreated and resid feed applications. These solutions are enabled by proprietary zeolite designs and advanced stabilisation techniques that deliver perfor - mance comparable to conventional rare-earth-based FCC technologies. Non-rare-earth elements can be employed to maintain the zeolite structure and minimise dealumination, even under severe hydrothermal conditions. Despite the
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PTQ Q3 2026
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