Rare earth elements are a group of 17 chemical elements that sustain the operation of a large part of modern technology. They are present in cell phones, cameras, TVs, computers, and in fundamental tools for energy transition such as electric cars and wind turbines.
Their most strategic function is in the creation of permanent magnets, small but powerful, allowing to reduce the size and increase the performance of motors and electronic devices. Additionally, they play a key role in military equipment such as radars, missiles, and submarines.
Although their name suggests otherwise, these elements are not scarce. The issue lies in their extraction and processing: they require specific geological conditions and a complex and polluting refining process.
70% of the global production of rare earth elements comes from China, which also leads in refinement and magnet manufacturing. This near-total control over the supply chain has raised geopolitical and environmental concerns.
Rare earth elements are made up of a specific group of 17 chemical elements. Photo: Ex-Ante.
A Growing Demand, a Planet in Tension
Despite their importance for clean technologies, the exploitation of rare earth elements generates a significant ecological impact. Open-pit mining, the use of toxic substances, and the accumulation of radioactive waste threaten soils, waters, and communities near the deposits.
In response, both the United States and the European Union seek to reduce their dependence on the Chinese monopoly. They aim to diversify the sources of acquisition, streamline permits, and promote projects with geopolitical allies.
Greenland, Ukraine, and Australia emerge as new bets, although with their own environmental and social challenges. The pressure to access these critical materials poses the risk of repeating old extractive mistakes under the guise of “green progress.”
Clean Technology, Dirty Extraction
The paradox of rare earth elements exposes a fundamental contradiction: solutions to the climate crisis can also generate new ecological tensions if the consumption and production model is not rethought.
To move towards a real energy transition, it will be necessary not only to diversify the sources of these elements but also to implement strict environmental standards and promote the recycling of technological materials.
Sustainability is not achieved only with clean energies, but also with fair, transparent, and responsible production chains. Because if the future is electric, it must also be ethical.
Rare earth elements contain key components for modern technology. Photo: Somos Aclara.
The 17 Elements Behind Rare Earths
Rare earth elements are made up of a specific group of 17 chemical elements that mostly belong to the lanthanide series in the periodic table. Despite their name, many of them are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, but they are scattered and rarely in concentrations high enough to facilitate their extraction.
These elements are:
- Lanthanum (La)
- Cerium (Ce)
- Praseodymium (Pr)
- Neodymium (Nd)
- Promethium (Pm)
- Samarium (Sm)
- Europium (Eu)
- Gadolinium (Gd)
- Terbium (Tb)
- Dysprosium (Dy)
- Holmium (Ho)
- Erbium (Er)
- Thulium (Tm)
- Ytterbium (Yb)
- Lutetium (Lu)
Additionally, two elements from the scandium group are also included:
- Scandium (Sc)
- Yttrium (Y)
Each of these elements has unique properties that make them valuable for applications in electronics, renewable energies, medicine, defense, and telecommunications. Although they act in small proportions, their presence is vital in the operation of a wide range of modern technologies.
