Learning Lab
Rare earth elements are 17 metallic elements used in magnets, electronics, clean energy systems, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.
Rare earth elements are often mentioned in conversations about electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronics, national security, and advanced manufacturing. The name can be confusing because these elements are not always geologically rare. The real challenge is finding, processing, separating, and refining them into useful products.
Rare earth elements, or REEs, are a group of 17 metallic elements. The group includes the 15 lanthanides, plus scandium and yttrium. Rare earth elements are important because their magnetic, optical, and chemical properties help manufacturers create high-performance materials used in modern technology.
Key facts
Name: Rare earth elements
Short form: REEs
Number of elements: 17
Includes: 15 lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium
Common uses: Permanent magnets, electronics, clean energy systems, aerospace, industrial materials, and advanced manufacturing
Main supply chain challenge: Processing and separating mixed rare earth materials into individual usable products
Rare earth elements explained in plain English
Rare earth elements are a family of metals with special properties. These properties can help materials become stronger, more heat resistant, more magnetic, more efficient, or more useful in advanced technologies.
The term “rare earth” does not mean these elements are always extremely rare in the ground. In many cases, they are difficult because they are spread out, mixed with other minerals, or chemically similar to each other. That makes processing and separation more complex.
The rare earth elements are:
Scandium
Yttrium
Lanthanum
Cerium
Praseodymium
Neodymium
Promethium
Samarium
Europium
Gadolinium
Terbium
Dysprosium
Holmium
Erbium
Thulium
Ytterbium
Lutetium
Why rare earth elements matter
Rare earth elements matter because small amounts can make a large difference in how materials perform. Some rare earths are used in powerful permanent magnets. Others are used in lighting, polishing, catalysts, ceramics, electronics, medical technologies, aerospace systems, and industrial applications.
The strongest demand growth is often connected to magnet-related rare earths, especially neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium. These elements are important to permanent magnets used in electric motors, wind turbines, industrial motors, automation, and other advanced technologies.
How this connects to Ucore
Ucore is focused on the processing and separation stage of the rare earth supply chain. Instead of only focusing on mining, Ucore is commercializing RapidSX™ to separate rare earth elements into refined rare earth products.
Rare earth elements can be classified as critical minerals when they are important to a country’s economy, technology, energy systems, or security and when supply risk is a concern.
Rare earth elements themselves are not the same as radioactive materials. However, some rare earth-bearing minerals can occur with naturally occurring radioactive elements, so responsible processing and environmental controls are important.
The name comes from early scientific history. Today, the word “rare” can be misleading because the larger challenge is often separation, processing, and supply chain availability rather than simple crustal abundance.