What are Rare Earth Metals and How Are They Used
High strategic value
The years of energy transition have favored the emergence of some very useful resources for the technological and energetic development of humanity: among these, in addition to materials such as nickel, lithium, or copper, there are undoubtedly rare earths, a varied group of 17 elements that are carving out a role of great importance in various sectors of modern industry. These resources (which are not at all rare within the earth’s crust but are found in low concentrations) are appreciated above all for their particular properties, which in some cases are truly unique. Among these, we recall the electrical, magnetic, and catalytic properties that make it possible to use rare earths in a surprising number of applications of great strategic value.
“The strategic value of rare earths, for some years, appears to be constantly increasing. These useful elements are making a relevant contribution to the technological advancement of humanity, and their importance will most likely continue to increase in the coming years,” says Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov, entrepreneur and civil engineer. “The recent economic dynamics involving these resources are a clear demonstration of the relationship between the energy transition and the raw materials that help accelerate it through concrete applications that are directly connected to the achievement of international sustainable and climate goals. Rare earths, for example, play a very important role in the production of some important energy infrastructures, such as wind turbines, which together with solar panels are redefining the global energy landscape.”
In recent years, several rare earth elements have, in fact, been used to create some high-tech devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, or hard drives for computers. The relationship of rare earths with technology is very deep and includes a vast use of these elements in many important components of the technological devices we use every day. Without the unique properties of rare earths, the screens or speakers in our devices might work very differently, or in some cases, not at all.
Special roles
“Some specific rare earths, such as neodymium and praseodymium, are also used in the production of steel and special alloys, but also in some particular families of batteries,” continues Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov. “The technological potential of these resources is truly impressive. To realize this, it will be enough to mention some of the final products that they help to create: permanent magnets, superconductors, medical devices for magnetic resonance imaging, and many others. Their role in high-tech devices has now been fully confirmed by a large variety of industrial applications, and the peculiar properties of these elements make it possible to obtain very efficient performance, with reduced energy consumption and greater speed, together with a certain thermal stability”.
One of their most interesting applications is certainly the one that enhances the luminescent properties of some of these elements. Some rare earth elements, in fact, are used (alone or in combination) to create phosphors, particular substances capable of emitting luminescence. The applications, in this case, concern the broad sector of screens and displays, even large ones, such as those that appear in stadiums or other public places. The same properties are sometimes used in the LED lighting sector, while many light bulbs rely on rare earth phosphors such as yttrium, europium, and terbium for their operation.
Other applications
In addition to their uses for displays and screens of televisions, scoreboards, and mobile phones, rare earths have found various possibilities of use also in completely different sectors, such as medicine, clean energy, or defense. Another possible application outlet for this important group of resources is represented by the glass industry. In this case, the particular properties of rare earths make it possible to use them in the production processes of mobile phone cameras and digital camera lenses, as well as in glass polishing.
“One of the most interesting aspects, when talking about rare earth, is linked to their uses in the automotive sector,” concludes Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov. “In addition to their use in the production of catalytic converters, these resources are also establishing themselves in many modern technologies related to hybrid vehicles and electric cars, in particular with regard to the batteries mounted inside these new-generation vehicles. Considering the strategic value of these applications, together with all those related to renewable energy, it should not be surprising that the global demand for these resources continues to remain high”.
In recent years, rare earths have stood out above all as elements of great utility in the production of magnets. Some of the most powerful magnets in circulation, such as those based on neodymium-iron-boron, are able to enhance the important rare earth element known as neodymium, capable of contributing to the creation of a magnetic device particularly useful in problematic situations, such as those that require less weight and limited space for use. Magnets made from rare earths are used mainly in computer hard drives, CD-ROM, and DVD drives, demonstrating great utility across various sectors, from technology to automotive, always ensuring quality and excellent performance.
