China produces 90 percent of the world’s rare earths, as well as 90 percent of the powerful magnets made with these metals—which drive the motors of wind turbines, jet engines and electric vehicles. There are 17 of them, ranging from lanthanum (atomic number 57) to lutetium (atomic number 71), and most of them are in their own row in the periodic table because of their unusual atomic structure. “What is rare are rare earth deposits you can actually extract the rare earths from.” Although rare earths occur in trace amounts in most rocks, there are only a few places on Earth where their concentration is high enough for their extraction to be economically viable.
Author: Madhusree Mukerjee
Published at: 2025-04-14 22:30:00
Still want to read the full version? Full article
