Five facts about rare earth metals

What are rare earth metals, how are they used and why are they so important for our future? We unearthed five facts about this unique collection of metals that may surprise you.

Formed by supernovae (exploding stars), ‘rare earths’ are a collection of 15 metallic elements in the periodic table. They possess a range of unique magnetic, optical and catalytic properties which make them highly valuable in our modern economy. From quantum computing and medical applications to industrial processes and green technology, rare earths play a key role in life as we know it and are expected to grow increasingly important in the future. Read on to learn more about this indispensable set of metals.

Despite their name, rare earth metals aren’t all that rare. Cerium – the most abundant of the rare earth metals – is in fact the 25th most abundant element in the world, making it as plentiful as copper. It is followed by lanthanum and neodymium; all three are more abundant than lead. The term ‘rare earth’ was coined in 1788 when a miner in Ytterby, Sweden, discovered an unusual black rock. The ore was called ‘rare’ as it had never been seen before and ‘earth’ because that was the 18th century geological term for rocks that could be dissolved in acid. Despite being quite plentiful in the earth’s crust, rare earths are scattered throughout the world, so it is difficult to find a lot in one place. Although perhaps a more accurate moniker, ‘scattered earths’ doesn’t have quite the same ring to it!