Rare earth
Name: Rare earth elements
IntroductionThe Rare earth elements are the
Lanthanides together with
Scandium and
Yttrium.
Scandium and
Yttrium occur often in the same ore deposits as the
Lanthanides and they exhibit similar chemical properties as they also have a 3+ valence. But
Scandium and
Yttrium have different electronic and magnetic properties.
Rarely the Rare earth elements are defined to include the Actinides, since the actinides share mineralogical, chemical, and physical characteristics.
The name Rare-earth elements is a bit strange as they are relatively plentiful in the earth's crust.
Cerium is the most abundant element, more abundant than copper. However rare-earth elements are mostly dispersed and not often found concentrated in rare-earth minerals. Their exploit is thus economically difficult.
The first rare-earth mineral discovered (1787) was gadolinite, a mineral composed of cerium, yttrium, iron, silicon, and other elements. This mineral was extracted from a mine in the village of Ytterby in Sweden; four of the rare-earth elements bear names derived from this single location.
Use: rare-earth oxides are used as tracers for erosion of drainage basins.