Understanding the Role of Rare Earth Metals in Modern Technologies

Rare earths are a group of elements on the periodic table referred to as the Lanthanide series. These elements are key enablers of technologies that aim to minimize emissions and reduce energy consumption. Additionally, they play a vital role in improving the speed, performance, efficiency, and thermal stability of products.

This blog post takes you to the fascinating realm of rare earth metals, exploring their history, types, and applications. Also, we cover the key metrics of the rare earth metals market and shed light on the key factors shaping the market landscape. Read on!

Rare Earth Metals: Introduction

Rare earth metals, also known as rare earth elements, are chemical elements that consist of three elements in Group 3. The elements are called lanthanides, but many scientists refer to them as rare earths. The rare earths are typically trivalent elements. But a few of them are known to have valences. These elements have vast differences in their properties and behaviors. The elemental form of rare earths is silvery, lustrous, and iron gray metals. Additionally, they are known to be soft, ductile, and malleable. Rare earth metals are typically reactive when they are exposed to high temperatures or finely divided.

History of Rare Earth Elements

The term “rare earth” was coined after the unearthing of a unique black rock by a miner in Sweden in the late 1780s. The ore was referred to as “rare” as it hadn’t been seen before. The other part of the term, “Earth,” was used as it was the geological term for rocks that could be dissolved in acid at that time. Over time, miners in the region extracted more rocks that yielded four elements.

The 20th century brought with it a new scientific age for rare earth elements with advances in atomic physics. One of the earliest challenges was figuring out the exact number of rare earth elements. The chemical properties of these elements are quite similar to those of the rock they’re found in. This makes them hard to separate from the rock. But in 1913, British physicist Henry Moseley leveraged X-ray technology to show that there were 15 rare elements in a group called the lanthanides.

Rare earth metals gained significant importance in the late 1930s. This was the time of the discovery of the splitting of uranium atoms by scientists Lise Meitner, Otto Hahn, and Fritz Strassmann. The discovery later led to the creation of the atomic bomb. During the research, scientists noticed rare earth elements in the leftovers of split uranium atoms.

Rare Earth Elements Key Highlights

The rare earth metals market was valued at USD 5.11 billion in 2024. It is anticipated to register sustained growth in the coming years, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% between 2025 and 2034.

Electric vehicle manufacturers are increasingly adopting high-performance rare earth magnets for powering compact and energy-efficient motors. Additionally, these elements find widespread application in wind turbines for reliable and efficient conversion of energy. All these factors drive the rare earth metals market demand.

Separation Chemistry of Rare Earth Metals

The separation process used for rare earth metals was developed by several U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) laboratories during the 1940s. Below, we’ve explained them in detail:

Ion Exchange

This rare earth metal separation process involves the use of a resin. The resin selectively binds and separates the rare earth elements. This binding and separation are based on the ionic properties of these elements. The process begins with the introduction of a mixture of rare earth elements to a column packed with a solid ion exchange resin. The resin typically contains sulfonic or carboxylic acid groups. It binds to the rare element ions and effectively removes them from the solution.

A complexing agent is used for eluting the rare earth elements from the resin. The complexing agent binds to the rare earth element ions and forms soluble complexes. The stability constants of these complexes differ for each rare element. The separated rare elements are collected in different fractions as they exit the column. In some cases, additional purification steps may be needed for isolating rare elements from these fractions.

Solvent Extraction

Solvent extraction is another widely used industrial process that separates rare elements from each other and other metals. It uses the principle of differential solubility of rare elements in two immiscible liquids. These liquids typically take the form of an aqueous solution and an organic solvent. The process starts with the mixing of the feed solution containing rare elements with the organic solvent. This results in rare elements with higher affinity for the organic phase transferring to it. Other elements here stay in their aqueous phase.

The next step after the extract phase is scrubbing. Scrubbing is done to remove any remaining impurities or unwanted elements from the solution. This step also purifies the elements for the stripping stage. During the stripping stage, the mixing of the purified extract with a stripping solution takes place. The stripping solution has a higher affinity for the rare earth elements as compared to that of the organic solvent. As such, the elements are transferred back into the stripping solution. This, in turn, results in the development of a concentrated solution of the desired rare earth elements.

Applications of Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements are crucial components in various modern technologies. The unique properties of these elements make them vital for various sectors.

High Technology Devices

Rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium are used in magnets for speakers and vibration units. Cerium oxide is used for polishing glass and extracting color from colored glass. Additionally, they form an essential component in he read/write heads and magnetic storage components of computer hard drives. Rare earth metals are also used in LEDs, fluorescent lighting, flat screen televisions, and other electronic devices.

Renewable Energy

Neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium are used for producing magnets needed for wind turbine generators. Other renewable energy applications of these elements include electric motors, solar panels, and advanced batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

Other Applications

Rare earth elements are used to improve the properties of metals in metallurgy. They are also used as colorants and additives in glass and ceramics. Elements like erbium and yttrium find application in the development of lasers for various applications.

In Conclusion

To conclude, rare earth metals are used in the manufacturing of various things we use every day. Key players in the rare earth metals market are increasingly seeking advanced techniques that enable efficient extraction of these elements. With new techniques and methods, the use of these metals is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.