Rare-earth elements: recycling or replacement

The rare-earth elements, or rare earths—the group of 17 chemical elements with atomic numbers 21, 39, and 57 through 71—are not truly rare in terms of their chemical abundance in the Earth’s crust. However, they are typically found in low concentrations in ore and mineral deposits, and the current s...

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Main Author: AccessScience Editors
Format: Reference Entry
Language:English
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Summary:The rare-earth elements, or rare earths—the group of 17 chemical elements with atomic numbers 21, 39, and 57 through 71—are not truly rare in terms of their chemical abundance in the Earth’s crust. However, they are typically found in low concentrations in ore and mineral deposits, and the current supply of them is somewhat limited. Notwithstanding their scarcity, demand for them is great because of their applications in what are now largely throw-away technologies: cell phones, tablets, laptops, televisions, hybrid and electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar cells. Periodic table Rare-earth elements Rare-earth minerals
DOI:10.1036/1097-8542.BR0113142