Applications of the Rare Earth Elements

Metals in the Lanthanide Series Hold the Key to Future Technologies

The important elements of the periodic table known as the rare earth metals are used in many emerging technologies including hybrid cars and rechargeable batteries.

Rare Earth Elements, or Rare Earth Metals, are a group of materials with unique properties that make them critical to a number of emerging technologies that are becoming more and more commonplace in today’s world.

Increasing Global Demand

Hybrid vehicles, rechargeable batteries, mobile phones, plasma televisions, disk drives and catalytic converters are all dependent on the unique properties provided by rare earth elements, so their availability is becoming a vital aspect of the development of these technologies. Today, 95% of all rare earth elements are produced by mines in China. This has begun to restrict the export quotas and increase export taxes, causing increases in prices and concerns from manufacturers about the availability of materials in an industry which is expanding rapidly.

Strong, Permanent Magnets

Perhaps the most important application of rare earth metals is in the production of the world’s strongest permanent magnets. Two rare earth elements, neodymium and dysprosium are used to manufacture magnets which have high magnetic strength but lower weight. This means that they are used in electric motors to produce higher power and torque with much lower size and weight. These characteristics make them very useful in the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as in the miniaturisation of hard disk drives used in many electronic devices.

Rechargeable Batteries

Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) batteries are the latest form of rechargeable batteries used in hybrid cars, as well as many other everyday electronic devices like mobile (cell) phone, music players and laptop computers. The rare earth metal, lanthanum, is an important constituent of the anode used in this type of battery.

Catalytic Converters

A catalytic converter is a device that is fitted to the exhaust of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles to reduce emissions of toxic gases. Recent advances have seen the emergence of the three-way catalytic converter, which reduces nitrogen oxides to nitrogen and oxygen, carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and oxidises un-burnt hydrocarbons. The rare earth element, cerium, is a key part of the catalytic activity of these new devices, which are going to become more and more important as legislation is introduced to reduce toxic emissions.

Ceramics, Lasers and Nuclear Applications

The list of other applications of the rare earth metals goes on and on. The ceramics industry uses cerium, dysprosium, erbium, gadolinium, holmium and praseodymium. Erbium, holmium and neodymium are also used in lasers and nuclear applications. Other areas where these elements are used include the chemical industry, medical image visualisation, radars and superconductors. They are elements of the future, and it is becoming more and more important to discover further sources to secure these vital areas of technology.

Information used in this article from:

Rare Earth Metals Not So Rare but Valuable, Seeking Alpha, Nov 4, 2008

Rare Earth Elements, Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd. www.ggg.gl

KSC101