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Rare Earth Elements

Rare Earth Elements — Not Rare, But Hard to Get The rare earth elements REEs are a group of 17 metallic elements: the 15 lanthanides lanthanum through lutetium plus scandium and yttrium. Despite their name, most rare earths are not geologically rare — they are difficult to extract and separate economically, and their processing is dominated by a single country. Why They Matter Rare earths have unique magnetic, luminescent, and catalytic properties that make them essential for: - Permanent magnets — Neodymium-iron-boron NdFeB magnets are the strongest permanent magnets known. They are used in EV motors, wind turbine generators, hard drives, and headphones. - Defense systems — Precision-guided munitions, jet engines, and satellite communications rely on rare earth components. - Electronics — Europium and terbium provide the red and green phosphors in displays. Cerium is used in catalytic converters and glass polishing. Light vs. Heavy REEs Rare earths are divided into two groups: - Light rare earth elements LREEs : Lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium. More abundant and easier to source. - Heavy rare earth elements HREEs : Europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium. Less abundant and more critical — dysprosium is essential for heat-resistant magnets in EV motors. Deposit Types 1. Carbonatite deposits Carbonatites are igneous rocks composed primarily of carbonate minerals. They can host large REE concentrations. Key examples include Mountain Pass California , Mount Weld Australia , and several deposits in Quebec and the Northwest Territories. 2. Ion-adsorption clay deposits Found almost exclusively in southern China, these deposits form from the weathering of granitic rocks. REEs are adsorbed onto clay minerals and can be extracted with simple leaching techniques. These deposits are the world's primary source of heavy REEs. 3. Alkaline-peridotite complexes and placer deposits REE-bearing minerals like monazite and xenotime can concentrate in beach placers and alluvial deposits. China's Dominance China controls approximately 60% of global rare earth mining and over 90% of rare earth processing and magnet manufacturing. In 2023, China introduced export controls on gallium and germanium, and has threatened similar measures for rare earths. This concentration has driven urgent efforts in Canada, Australi