FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON RARE EARTHS ELEMENTS

1. What are Rare Earths?

The REE group is composed of 15 elements that range in atomic
number from 57 (lanthanum) to 71 (lutetium) on the periodic table
of elements, and are officially referred to as the “lanthanids,”
although they are commonly referred to as the “lanthanides.”
Yttrium (atomic number 39) is commonly regarded as an REE
because of its chemical and physical similarities and affinities with
the lanthanids, and yttrium typically occurs in the same deposits
as REEs. Scandium (atomic number 21) is chemically similar to,
and thus sometimes included with the REEs.

2. If rare-earth are not really rare, why are they called rare-earths?
Most REEs are not as rare as the group’s name suggests. They
were named “rare-earth elements” because most were identified
during the 18th and 19th centuries as “earths” (originally defined
as materials that could not be changed further by heat) and in
comparison to other “earths,” such as lime or magnesia, they
were relatively rare.

3. What are the source of Rare Earths Elements?

The principal economic sources of rare earths are the minerals
bastnasite, monazite, and loparite and the lateritic ion-adsorption
clays.

4. What are the unique characteristics of REEs?

The REEs have unique catalytic, metallurgical, nuclear, electrical,
magnetic and luminescent properties. Their strategic importance
is indicated by their use in emerging and diverse technologies
that are becoming increasingly more significant in today's society.
Applications range from routine (e.g., lighter flints, glass polishing
mediums, car alternators) to high-technology (lasers, magnets,
batteries, fibre-optic telecommunication cables) and those with
futuristic purposes (high-temperature superconductivity, safe
storage and transport of hydrogen for a post-hydrocarbon
 economy, environmental global warming and energy efficiency
issues)

5. Where are REE used?

Their properties, notably as light-weight magnets, make them key
to the ongoing miniaturization of electronics and the growth of
green technologies. They are used in a wide range of products
we use every day, including hard drives, ear bud speakers,
microphones in small gadgets, smart phones, flat-screen TVs,
automotive application, motors, generators, etc.

6. Why Rare Earths Elements are considered as vitamins of

Modern Industry?
Rare Earth Elements (REE) are considered the "The Vitamin of
Modern Industry" as they have a unique and important impact on
our lives because they are critical in the manufacture of an
increasing number of high-tech parts and devices. Without the
rare earths, consumer culture, green technology,
communications, and even aspects of defense and health care
would be pale shadows of their current selves. Rare Earth
Elements (REE) or “technology metals” which are essential for a
wide range of applications, from smart phones, to microphones,
electric and hybrid vehicles, headphones, earphones and X-ray
machines, to name just a few.

7. Why are rare-earth elements so important?

These rare-earth metals are important for many high-tech uses
and here are few examples;

Electronics:

 Television screens, computers, cell phones, silicon chips,

monitor displays, long-life rechargeable batteries, camera
lenses, light emitting diodes (LEDs), compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs), baggage scanners, marine propulsion systems.

Manufacturing:

 High strength magnets, metal alloys, stress gauges, ceramic

pigments, colorants in glassware, chemical oxidizing agent,
 polishing powders, plastics creation, as additives for
strengthening other metals, automotive catalytic converters.

Chemicals, Oil Refining and Manufacturing

 Rare earths make the refining of crude oil into gasoline more
efficient and are used in many specialty metal alloys. They are
critical to these industries worldwide.

Medical Science:

 Portable x-ray machines, x-ray tubes, magnetic resonance

imagery (MRI) contrast agents, nuclear medicine imaging,
cancer treatment applications, and for genetic screening tests,
medical and dental lasers.

Technology:

 Lasers, optical glass, fiber optics, masers, radar detection

devices, nuclear fuel rods, mercury-vapor lamps, highly
reflective glass, computer memory, nuclear batteries, high
temperature superconductors.

Renewable Energy:

 Hybrid automobiles, wind turbines, next generation

rechargeable batteries, biofuel catalysts.

8. What are the industrial application of individual Rare Earths

Element?

The main industrial application of Rare Earths are detailed below;

Lanthanum in Glasses, ceramics, car catalysts, phosphors,
pigments, accumulators, Cerium in Polishing powders, ceramics,
phosphors, glasses, catalysts, pigments, misch metal, UV filters,
Praseodymium in Ceramics, glasses, pigments, Neodymium in
Permanent magnets, catalysts, IR filters, pigments for glass, lasers,
Promethium in Sources for measuring devices, miniature nuclear
batteries, phosphors, Samarium in Permanent magnets,
microwave filters, nuclear industry, Europium in Phosphors,
Gadolinium in Visualization of images in medicine, optical and
magnetic detection, ceramics, glasses, crystal scintillators,
 Terbium in Phosphors, Dysprosium in Phosphors, ceramics, nuclear
industry, Holmium in Ceramics, lasers, nuclear industry, Erbium in
Ceramics, dyes for glass, optical fibers, lasers, nuclear industry,
Thulium in Electron bean tubes, visualization of images in
medicine, Ytterbium in Metallurgy, chemical industry, Lutetium in
Single crystal scintillators, Scandium in High-strength Al-Sc alloys,
electron beam tubes, Yttrium in Capacitors, phosphors,
microwave filters, glasses, oxygen sensors, radars, lasers,
superconductors.

9. What are the specific uses of the rare-earth elements in smart

phones?
The specific uses of REEs in smart phone are;

 Praseodymium, Gadolinium and Neodymium are used in

alloys in the magnets in the speaker and microphone of the
smart phone
 Neodymium, Terbium and Dysprosium are used in the
vibration unit of the smart phone
 Praseodymium and Neodymium are used in glass to
reduce glare
 Cerium (oxide) is used to polish glass, and to extract
color from colored glass
 Europium and Yttrium (oxides) produce the red colors in
television screens and smart phone screens.
 Europium also is used in blue phosphors in electronic
screens.