What is the SEC and How is it Related to the Environment?
1 min
Level
How does the SEC, otherwise known as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, help the United States regulate environmental policies?
The voice of impact
ESG / CSR
Industries
MEASURE
ACT
COMFORM
What are Rare Earth Metals?
Level
When we think about what needs to be done in order to protect the planet from future environmental harm, we rarely think about what the Earth is composed of or produced from it to begin with that could help us in our global climate journey – such as rare earth metals.
Rare earth metals play a crucial part in helping to ensure energy independence and economic growth – especially in the midst of climate change as finite resources become all the more fragile.
In this article, we’ll explain what rare earth metals are, why they’re important, and the challenges and how to reduce the environmental impact of rare earth metals.
What are rare earth metals and their key features?
Rare earth metals, commonly referred to as REMs or as rare earth elements (REEs), are a group of 17 chemically similar elements found in the Earth's crust.
Although misleading, rare earth metals aren’t all that rare – but they are difficult to mine and process as they are typically spread out as opposed to residing in a dense, singular location.
Rare earth metals play a pivotal role in helping to develop new technologies, employ the use of renewable energy, and improve current industrialization and manufacturing processes.
“ The rare earth elements perplex us in our researches, baffle us in our speculations, and haunt us in our very dreams. They stretch like an unknown sea before us mocking, mystifying and murmuring strange revelations and possibilities. – (William Crookes). ”
Close
Key Features of Rare Earth Metals
- Magnetic Properties – Rare earth metals are often used for industrial-strength magnets, of which are often found in wind turbines, electronics, and electric vehicles (EVs).
- Phosphorescent Properties – Rare earth metals can be used to manufacture LED lights, power display screens, and even for medical imaging.
- High Electrical Conductivity – Superconductors are hard to come by, but rare earth metals sweep in and save the day – as they have high electrical conductivity properties and can act as a super conductor to jumpstart batteries or troubleshoot advanced electronics.
- Catalytic Properties – Rare earth metals can be used to refine petroleum and aid in various chemical processing.
- Corrosion Resistance – As a part of their resistance to corrosion, rare earth metals are often found in aerospace components and defense technologies.
The 17 Rare Earth Metals
As only 17 elements from the periodic table qualify as rare earth metals, they are divided into two categories for better organization and qualification – light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs).
Rare earth metals are divided between light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) depending on their atomic weights and properties.
Here’s a list of all 17 rare earth metals:
Light Rare Earth Elements (LREEs)
- Lanthanum (La) which is used in hybrid vehicle batteries and optics
- Cerium (Ce) which are found in catalytic converters, lightbulbs, and glass polishing
- Praseodymium (Pr) – which are used to power aircraft engines and heavy magnets
- Neodymium (Nd) which are essential for industrial-strength magnets in wind turbines and electric motors
- Promethium (Pm) which serve as a radioactive element used in nuclear batteries
- Samarium (Sm) which is compulsory for high-temperature magnets and neutron absorption
- Europium (Eu) which is often used for TV screens, LED lights, and anti-counterfeit banknotes.
- Gadolinium (Gd) which is used for MRI imaging neutron shielding
Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREEs)
- Terbium (Tb) which enhances magnets and is used in green phosphors to produce white lighting indoors
- Dysprosium (Dy) which helps to boost heat resistance in permanent magnets
- Holmium (Ho) which is used for nuclear reactors and strong magnets
- Erbium (Er) which is used for fiber optics and lasers
- Thulium (Tm) which can be found in portable X-ray machines
- Ytterbium (Yb) which is used in seismic monitoring
- Lutetium (Lu) which is used in cancer treatment and PET scans
- Scandium (Sc) which enables aluminum to be used for aerospace
- Yttrium (Y) which is used in superconductors, ceramics, and LEDs
The table below will explain the differences between light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs):
| Category | Light Rare Earth Elements (LREEs) | Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREEs) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Elements with lower atomic weights, typically found in greater abundance. | Elements with higher atomic weights, generally rarer and more valuable. |
| Elements Included | Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Praseodymium (Pr), Neodymium (Nd), Promethium (Pm), Samarium (Sm), Europium (Eu), Gadolinium (Gd) | Terbium (Tb), Dysprosium (Dy), Holmium (Ho), Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), Ytterbium (Yb), Lutetium (Lu), Yttrium (Y) |
| Abundance | More abundant in the Earth's crust and easier to extract. | Less abundant and more difficult to mine, making them more expensive. |
| Common Uses | Used in catalysts, glass polishing, batteries, and magnets for wind turbines and electric vehicles. | Critical for high-performance magnets, lasers, nuclear reactors, and defense applications. |
| Magnetic Properties | Some LREEs (e.g., Neodymium) have strong magnetic properties but are less heat-resistant. | HREEs (e.g., Dysprosium, Terbium) are used to enhance heat resistance in high-performance magnets. |
| Market Value | Lower in cost due to greater availability. | More expensive due to scarcity and high demand. |
| Extraction
Overall, rare earth elements serve a crucial role in helping to power our electronics, manufacturing processes, and even to help develop the use of renewable energy.  Why are rare earth metals important?Rare earth metals are important as they have proven themselves to be a key component in the development of electronics, renewable energy, and even various technologies to support advancing medicine and healthcare. Here are some of the reasons why rare earth metals are crucial in today’s modernized world:
Rare earth metals serve many vital functions to daily life and help to advance humanity as a whole, making it challenging to meet the current supply and demand of rare earth metals – considering only a few countries have a monopoly on the mining and processing of rare earth metals.  Which countries have the most rare earth metals?The countries with the most rare earth metals are as follows: China, Brazil, Vietnam, and Russia – with the largest producers of earth metals including China, the United States, Myanmar, and Australia. Here’s a further breakdown of these countries and their relationship to rare earth metals: ChinaKnown as the world’s largest producer of rare earth metals, China has the most rare earth metal reserves – which as a result, means many countries across the globe depend on China to meet their supply and demand for rare earth metals.
Close  United StatesKnown as the second largest producer of rare earth metals, the United States produced a whopping 43,000 metric tons of rare earths in 2023. Especially as the country begins to stray away from importing various goods and focusing on in-house production under the Trump administration, the incentive for the United States to continue producing its own rare earth metals is bound to expand. Brazil & VietnamAlthough neither country is exceptionally strong in producing rare earth metals, both countries have 18% of the world’s reserves of rare earth metals. RussiaRussia produced 2,600 metric tons of rare earths in 2023, and also holds 15% of the world’s reserves of rare earth metals. In fact, Russia has cut mining taxes and offered loans to investors as an attempt to increase their share of global rare earth metal production – with a goal to increase their current 1.3% share to 10% by 2030.  What are the problems with rare earth metals?The main issue with rare earth metals is that while they have proven to be useful elements for modern-day technology due to their unique chemical make-up, is that long-term mining and use of rare earth metals can contribute to excess emissions and pollution. Furthermore, rare earth metals can be toxic and provoke a wide variety of health issues for humans – meaning that rare earth metals could warrant global health concerns. Here’s a breakdown of the environmental, health, and geopolitical concerns associated with rare earth metals: Environmental issuesOften referred to as the Rare Earth Dilemma, the process of extracting rare earth minerals causes insurmountable environmental damage – such as by:
Furthermore, China, the main hub for rare earth metals – contributes to millions of tons of wastewater every year, mainly due to their growing industrial production rate, such as mining and refining rare earth metals. Health concernsRare earth metals pose several health risks, such as how:
Geopolitical challengesOne of the main challenges of rare earth metals is the current dependency on China to supply several regions of the world with rare earth elements – seeing as China is responsible for 98% of the European Union’s demand for rare earth metals. Since the world’s demand for rare earth metals is rising at an unprecedented rate of 10% each year, the current dependency on China is concerning for several nations. As China has a monopoly over the supply chain of rare earth metals, it can easily cause geopolitical tension – as countries such as Australia and the U.S. have made a newfound effort to increase their own production of rare earth metals to decrease their dependence on China to provide them. Overall, rare earth metals have proven effective in helping to develop and maintain various technologies and mechanisms for renewable energy – but it can be dangerous for human health, the environment, and even international affairs.  How can we reduce the environmental impact of rare earth metals?There are a few ways we can reduce the current environmental impact of rare earth metals, such as by recycling and reusing old technologies, making the process of mining more sustainable, and promoting a circular economy. Here are just a few ideas to reduce the current impact of rare earth metals:
Overall, rare earth metals have proven themselves to be an indispensable part of our journey to advancing our technology and transitioning to the use of renewable energy – but we must also keep in mind the potential negative effects of rare earth metals to ensure their future can be as sustainable as possible. Close  What about Greenly?If reading this article on rare earth metals has inspired you to consider your company’s own carbon footprint, Greenly can help. At Greenly we can help you to assess your company’s carbon footprint, and then give you the tools you need to cut down on emissions. We offer a free demo for you to better understand our platform and all that it has to offer – including assistance on how to reduce emissions, optimize energy efficiency, and more to help you get started on your climate journey. Learn more about Greenly’s carbon management platform here.  Sources Energy Gov https://www.energy.gov/fecm/rare-earth-elements USGS https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/energy-and-minerals/connect Investing News https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/critical-metals-investing/rare-earth-investing/rare-earth-reserves-country/ National Library of Medicine https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11125915/ Science Direct https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168127388110015 IEA https://www.iea.org/reports/rare-earth-elements https://pie.net.pl/en/98-of-eu-demand-for-rare-earth-elements-is-met-by-china/ NIH https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482487/ Visual Capitalist https://www.visualcapitalist.com/rare-earth-elements-where-in-the-world-are-they/ Energy Transitions https://www.energy-transitions.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ETC_Materials_Factsheet_Neodymium.pdf Pub Chem Gov. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Promethium https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38787096/ AIP Publishing https://pubs.aip.org/aip/jcp/article-abstract/25/1/75/204255/Heat-Capacity-of-Dysprosium-from-15-to-300-K?redirectedFrom=fulltext Science Direct https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780857092724500130 Minerals Education https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/elements/thulium/ Purdue https://engineering.purdue.edu/REE/rare-earth-elements/ytterbium Stanford https://www.stanfordmaterials.com/blog/aluminum-scandium-master-alloys-pioneering-the-future-of-aerospace-and-automobiles.html Earth Site https://www.earth-site.co.uk/Education/exploring-the-versatility-of-yttrium-a-dive-into-its-applications-in-modern-technology/ Harvard https://seas.harvard.edu/news/2016/06/clean-way-extract-rare-earth-metals Wilson Center https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/chinas-power-wastewater Foreign Policy in Focus https://fpif.org/the-rare-earth-dilemma/ Essential Minerals https://www.essentialminerals.org/insight/rare-earth-minerals-our-most-strategic-mineral/ NASDAQ https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/top-11-countries-rare-earth-metal-production-updated-2024 Mining Visuals https://www.miningvisuals.com/post/chinas-dominance-in-rare-earth-production Investing News https://investingnews.com/daily/resource-investing/critical-metals-investing/rare-earth-investing/rare-earth-metal-production/ Mining https://www.mining.com/china-continues-dominance-of-rare-earths-markets-to-2030-says-roskill/ More articlesView all |