History: Editors Note: This scenario and video have been reworked due to a trade deal in the US and China, which is achieved with a framework to remove Chinese restrictions on exporting rare minerals on Earth. The story was first published on February 28, 2025.
Rare earth minerals are used in almost any technology you can think of.
They are present in mobile phones, medical devices, wind turbines, weapons and more.
But what are they? And why are they important? And are they actually rare?
:: What are the rare lands and why are they important?
:: Julie Michel Clinger, Geographer
“So the term rare earth elements, it refers to 17 chemically similar elements in the Lantanide series.”
This is Professor Julie Michel Clinger, a geographer and senior visiting contributor to the Institute of Human Science.
“So, if you can present the periodic table, this is the strip at the bottom. Elements from 57 to 71 plus Scandia and a yetrium.”
The Special Reuters Correspondent in goods, Eric Onstad, has a little of history.
:: Eric Onstad, a specialized correspondent, goods, Reuters
“The elements were first discovered by the Swedish miner in 1787 near a village called Itherby and this was reflected in the name of two rare lands, Itrium and Itherbius. Another rare land, Prometheus, was named by the wife of one of the discoverers after the Greek god, who stole a fire from the gods.
:: What are they used for?
Clinger: “They are often described as vitamins or the spice of the industry because they have allowed our technologies to become smaller and faster and more strong and more resistant.”
Elements like Lanthanum and Cerium, some of the most common rare lands are used in TVs and lighting …
While the application of Erbius and Irrium can range from nuclear energy to lasers.
Ostad: “There are Two Broad Categories That has Really Got the Spotlight. The First One Is Military Us, and That Can Be from Night Goggles, To Precision Missiles, To Radar. And of Course Nations Wanting to Guard Their Access to Those Kinds of Minerals. Electric vehicle and for wind turbines.
:: What is the environmental impact of extracting?
Clinger: “This is really due to the challenges, the risks of heavy energy and resources and pollution that are related to the improvement of rare earth elements, production has concentrated historically in so few places.”
The cultivation of rare lands often involves the use of solvents that can produce toxic waste.
More environmental technologies are being developed, but they are not yet widely used.
Ostad: “The other problem is that some rare earth deposits are radioactive. They include uranium and thorium. So, some countries are not interested in being extracted in their country.”
:: Are they actually rare?
But are they actually rare? Not really …
Ostad: “They are all around the world. And in terms of deposits, no, they are not really uncommon. What is rarely found in them is sometimes in very small quantities. And in addition, they are mixed with any other minerals. So the difficulty sometimes extracts every rare land from all other minerals that are involved in delay.”