Rare Earth Minerals
Rare Earth Minerals
Rare earth minerals refer to a group of 17 chemical elements that are critical to modern technologies. These elements are classified into "light" and "heavy" categories, with heavy rare earths being scarcer and more valuable. Examples include neodymium (light), used in magnets, europium (heavy), used in lighting, and dysprosium (heavy), important for high-performance motors.
Despite their name, rare earths are fairly common in the Earth’s crust but are seldom found in concentrations suitable for economical extraction. The United States holds substantial reserves, but past regulatory decisions and a lack of refining infrastructure have constrained domestic production. Today, most mining and processing occur overseas, particularly in nations with fewer environmental and labor standards.
- These minerals are critical components in many high-tech products, including smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and military equipment.
- Mining and processing rare earths can have environmental impacts due to toxic waste and radioactive byproducts if not properly managed, but the United States has the capability and technology to handle production responsibly—more so than many developing nations currently producing rare earths.
- Currently, China dominates global rare earth production and refining, controlling over 60% of the world’s supply chain and creating significant national security risks for the United States.
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