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@$$4$Rare earth elements are a group of metals that are critical ingredients for a greener economy, and the location of the reserves for mining are increasingly important and valuable. This infographic features data from the United States Geological Society (USGS) which reveals the countries with the largest known reserves of rare earth elements (REEs).
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What are Rare Earth Metals?
@$REEs, also called rare earth metals or rare earth oxides, or lanthanides, are a set of 17 silvery-white soft heavy metals. The 17 rare earth elements are: lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), scandium (Sc), and yttrium (Y). Scandium and yttrium are not part of the lanthanide family, but end users include them because they occur in the same mineral deposits as the lanthanides and have similar chemical properties.
The term “rare earth” is a misnomer as rare earth metals are actually abundant in the Earth’s crust. However, they are rarely found in large, concentrated deposits on their own, but rather among other elements instead.
Rare Earth Elements, How Do They Work?
@$$Most rare earth elements find their uses as catalysts and magnets in traditional and low-carbon technologies. Other important uses of rare earth elements are in the production of special metal alloys, glass, and high-performance electronics…
| End-use | % of 2019 Rare Earth Demand |
|---|---|
| Permanent Magnets | 38% |
| Catalysts | 23% |
| Glass Polishing Powder and Additives | 13% |
| Metallurgy and Alloys | 8% |
| Battery Alloys | 9% |
| Ceramics, Pigments and Glazes | 5% |
| Phosphors | 3% |
| Other | 4% |
…Their role in technology makes their mining and refinement a point of concern for many nations. For example, one megawatt of wind energy capacity requires 171 kg of rare earths, a single U.S. F-35 fighter jet requires about 427 kg of rare earths, and a Virginia-class nuclear submarine uses nearly 4.2 tonnes.
@$$$In the rare earth industry, China’s dominance has been no accident. Years of research and industrial policy helped the nation develop a superior position in the market, and now the country has the ability to control production and the global availability of these valuable metals…[which] has the world searching for their own supplies. With the start of mining operations in other countries, China’s share of global production has fallen from 92% in 2010 to 58%< in 2020. However, China has a strong foothold in the supply chain and produced 85% of the world’s refined rare earths in 2020.
As the demand for REEs increases, the world will need tap these reserves. This graphic could provide clues as to the next source of rare earth elements.
The above version of the original article by Nicholas LePan (visualcapitalist.com) was edited [ ] and abridged (…) to provide you with a faster and easier read.
Editor’s Note: The above article is sponsored by Dominique C. from Holland. You can become a sponsor, too, by going here and making a donation. You will receive a public or private acknowledgement (your choice) and also receive the 258-page e-book entitled WEALTH IF YOU WANT IT (introduction here) as a thank you.
