In recent weeks, you have probably read or heard the term "rare" earth elements

Contrary to what their name suggests, they are more common in everyday life than you might think. In fact, many of the technological innovations we use daily would not be possible without them.

So why are they being talked about so much right now?

Because today, "rare" earth elements and other minerals considered "critical" are at the center of disputes over their control, given their usefulness in the manufacture of technologies for the energy transition and for the military industry.

But aside from the geopolitical tensions surrounding the issue, there are basic questions that arise when we hear this term, which is why we answer them here.

By understanding where the raw materials behind the technologies we use come from, we can also rethink the kind of future we want.

What are "rare" earth elements?

There are 17 metallic elements, similar in their geochemical properties, used in many of today's technologies, from cell phones to electric cars.

They include the 15 lanthanides of the periodic table of chemical elements—lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium—as well as scandium and yttrium.

Promethium is usually excluded from this group because under normal conditions its half-life is short.

Are they really rare?

Contrary to what one might think, they are not "rare" in abundance, but rather in concentration. In other words, deposits with high concentrations are rare, making their exploitation and processing difficult. As a result, most of the world's supply comes from a few sources.

But when they were discovered (in the 18th and 19th centuries), they were less well known than other elements.  

The most abundant "rare" earth elements are similar in concentration in the Earth's crust to common industrial metals (chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, or lead). Even the two least abundant rare earth elements (thulium and lutetium) are almost 200 times more common than gold.

What are "rare" earth elements used for?

They have unusual fluorescent, magnetic, and conductive properties, making them attractive for a wide range of applications.

• They are present in everyday objects such as smartphones, screens, and LED lights.
• In renewable energy, they are used to manufacture wind turbines and electric cars.
• Its most specialized uses include medical devices and military weapons.

Where are they?

They exist in various parts of the world, but just because a country has reserves does not mean that it exploits them. The countries with the largest reserves are:

• China: 44 million tons.
• Brazil: 21 million tons.
• India: 6.9 million tons.
• Australia: 5.7 million tons.
• Russia: 3.8 million tons.
• Vietnam: 3.5 million tons.
• United States: 1.9 million tons.
• Greenland: 1.5 million tons.

In Latin America, besides Brazil, other countries where "rare" earth elements have been identified are Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru.

Why is there so much talk about them now?

The energy transition is intensifying competition for access to raw materials—including rare earth elements—needed for renewable energy technologies.

To promote and facilitate access to these and other resources, some countries and international organizations refer to them as "critical."

But they are not only important for renewable energy. "Rare" earth elements are also key to the military industry.

Because global supply is concentrated in a few sources, there is growing interest among some countries in the Global North in controlling access to these resources.

What are the impacts of their exploitation?

The extraction of "rare" earth elements is mainly carried out in open-pit mines, which have serious environmental and social impacts:

• Water, air, and soil pollution.
• Heavy use of water and toxic chemicals.
• Radioactive waste.
• Loss of biodiversity.
• Health risks.
• Forced displacement of communities.
• Increased risk of economic inequality.

"Rare" earth elements and other minerals considered "critical" are at the center of current debates over who controls their exploitation and production.

As these are natural resources, often found in indigenous territories and critical ecosystems, a more urgent discussion is what kind of progress we want: one that encourages the excessive exploitation of resources, or one that respects the environment and people?

If you would like to learn more about this topic, here are the links to the sources we consulted:

• USGS, Rare Earths Statistics and Information: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/rare-earths-statistics-and-inform… 
• USGS, "Fact Sheet: Rare Earth Elements-Critical Resources for High Technology": https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/fs087-02/  
• Science History Institute, History and Future of Rare Earth Elements: https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/classroom-activities/role-playing-games/case-of-rare-earth…  
• USGS, "The Rare Earth Elements-Vital to Modern Technologies and Lifestyles": https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2014/3078/pdf/fs2014-3078.pdf 
• Institute for Environmental Research and Education, "What Impacts Does Mining Rare Earth Elements Have?": https://iere.org/what-impact-does-mining-rare-earth-elements-have/#environmental_impact_studies
• Latin America’s opportunity in critical mineralsfor the clean energy transition: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/latin-americas-opportunity-in-critical-minerals-for-the-clean-ener…
• U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2025 : https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2025/mcs2025-rare-earths.pdf pg 145