Rare Earth Metals & Elements | Definition, Properties, and Uses
Discover what rare earth elements and metals are, their unique properties, and why they’re essential for modern technology, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.
www.wpi.eduScarce rare-earth ores are a group of 17 featuring scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides ranging from lanthanum to lutetium, found together in many ore sources and critical for magnets, catalysts, and clean-energy tech. Cerium the most plentiful REE in the crust, while promethium does not occur naturally and has radioactive isotopes. Global supply chains have historically depended on a few countries for mining and processing, prompting ongoing diversification efforts amid price volatility due to mining, processing, and geopolitical factors. U.S.-based Molycorp began production at Mountain Pass and aims for full capacity in 2014, with a separation plant at Mountain for processing. Rare earth elements are found in catalysts and magnets in modern tech, driving clean-energy applications and advanced manufacturing. Their worldwide importance has led to diversification along with supply chain reforms to mitigate price swings caused by mining, processing, and geopolitics. In sum, rare-earth elements remain crucial to modern technology and green energy development.