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Understanding Rare Earth Metals: The Building Blocks of the Low Carbon Transition
Introduction
Rare earth metals, also known as rare earth elements, are a group of 17 elements that are crucial to a wide range of high-tech industries.
These elements include cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, yttrium, and many others.
These metals are not as rare as the name suggests, but they are difficult to mine and extract in large quantities, hence the name rare earth metals.
The global demand for these metals is on the rise as the world moves towards cleaner energy and more efficient technologies.
In this article, we will take a closer look at rare earth metals, why they are important and their use cases in the global economy, especially in the context of the low carbon transition.
What are Rare Earth Metals?
Rare earth metals are a group of 17 elements that are found in the earth’s crust. They are not as rare as the name suggests, but they are difficult to mine and extract in large quantities.
These elements have unique chemical and physical properties, which make them crucial for the production of many modern technologies.
