What are rare earth elements and why are they important?
Reuters · 23 days ago
Reuters
23 days ago
So-called rare earth elements refer to 17 chemically-similar, silvery-white elements that are used to make magnets – which in turn power motion for electric vehicles, cell phones, missile systems and other electronics. But how critical are they, and are they actually rare?
BreakdownGenerated by LeadStory AI
- Rare earth elements are 17 metals used in technologies like phones, wind turbines, and weapons.
- China currently dominates rare earth production and processing, though this was not always the case. 1m 12s
- Rare earths are essential for military uses and the energy transition, especially in magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines. 1m 54s
- Processing rare earths is challenging and can be environmentally harmful, leading to concentrated production. 2m 39s
- Despite their name, rare earth elements are not truly rare but are difficult to extract from other minerals. 3m 14s