Rare Earth Elements (REEs) or Rare Earth Minerals are a group of 17 metallic elements that have become indispensable to modern life.

The term "rare" is a significant misnomer. These elements are, in fact, relatively abundant in the Earth's crust; for instance, Cerium (Ce) is as common as Copper (Cu). The true challenge, and the reason for their classification as "rare," is that they are typically dispersed and not found in concentrations high enough to make their mining and processing commercially viable.

In short, it is too difficult and costly to refine these elements into a usable form.

Types of Rare Earth Elements (REE)

This group comprises the 15 elements of the lanthanide series on the periodic table, along with the transition metals Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y). These latter two elements are included in the REE group because they share similar physical and chemical properties with the lanthanides and are often found in the same geological ore bodies.

The 17 rare earth elements include:

Light Rare Earths (9 elements):

Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, and Terbium

Heavy Rare Earths (8 elements):

Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium, (plus Yttrium and Scandium)

Global Distribution and Production

World Reserves

The global distribution of rare earth reserves is highly concentrated:

China: 44 million tonnes (49% of global reserves) - with 270 thousand MT Production
Brazil: 21 million tonnes of reserves with - 0.02 thousand MT Production
India: 8.52 million tonnes (8% of global reserves) of reserves with- 2.9 thousand MT Production
Australia: 4.2 million tonnes of reserves with- 20.0 thousand MT Production
United States: 1.9 million tonnes of reserves with- 45.0 thousand MT Production

Despite having only 49% of reserves, China produces 69% of the world's rare earths (270,000 tonnes in 2024). More critically, China controls 90% of global processing capacity, creating a strategic bottleneck.

India's reserves

Total Reserves (REO) - 8.52 million tonnes (latest official data)

Global Reserve Ranking - 3rd largest globally

Share of Global Reserves - 8% of world reserves

Monazite Resources - 7.23 MT REO in 13.15 MT monazite

Hard Rock Deposits - 1.29 MT in Gujarat and Rajasthan

Annual Production (2024) - 2,900 tonnes

Global Production Share - Less than 1%

Processing Capacity - 10,000 MT rare earth bearing minerals

Main Mining Company - [expand title= "IREL (India) Limited"]

established in 1950, serves as the primary entity responsible for rare earth mining and processing under the Department of Atomic Energy. IREL operates major facilities at:

Rare Earths Division (RED) Aluva, Kerala - Processing monazite to produce high-purity individual rare earth compounds
Odisha Sand Complex (OSCOM) Chatrapur - The largest division with mineral separation capabilities
Manavalakurichi, Tamil Nadu - Beach sand mineral processing

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Key Coastal States - Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala

Explanation: -

India holds the world's third-largest rare earth reserves with 8.52 million tonnes. These are primarily found in:

Coastal deposits: 7.23 million tonnes in monazite sands along the coasts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala
Hard rock deposits: 1.29 million tonnes in Gujarat and Rajasthan

Kerala possesses the world's richest monazite deposits with concentrations reaching 2.5% in beach sands.

Despite massive reserves, India produces only 2,900 tonnes annually - less than 1% of global production.

Application of Rare Earth Elements (REE)

Electric Vehicles and Wind Energy

REE Used: Neodymium, Dysprosium, Terbium

Performance: Neodymium magnets are 10-20 times stronger than traditional ferrite magnets, enabling electric motors that are 70% smaller while delivering the same power. A single wind turbine requires 300 kilograms of neodymium for optimal electricity generation.

Smartphones and Electronics

REE Used: Neodymium, Europium, Yttrium, Terbium

Performance: Rare earth magnets enable 5x smaller speakers than conventional alternatives. The vibrant colors on your phone screen come from europium and yttrium phosphors that produce 98% light conversion efficiency compared to 40-70% from traditional materials.

LED Lighting

REE Used: Cerium, Europium, Terbium

Superior Performance: Rare earth phosphors in LEDs last 2.5 times longer (50,000+ hours) and are 30-40% more efficient at converting electricity to light. They also produce pure, tunable colors impossible with conventional phosphors.

Automotive Catalysts

REE Used: Cerium, Lanthanum

Superior Performance: Cerium-based catalysts achieve 95-99% pollution conversion compared to 90-95% for traditional systems, while operating at temperatures 200°C higher than conventional catalysts.

Medical Technology

REE Used: Gadolinium, Europium, Yttrium

Superior Performance: MRI machines use rare earth compounds for clearer imaging, while laser surgery equipment uses neodymium for precise cutting with minimal tissue damage.

High-Temperature Stability:

Rare earth catalysts maintain activity at temperatures up to 1000°C, significantly higher than conventional catalysts.

Challenges and Limitations Compared to Traditional Materials

Cost Considerations

The superior performance comes with significantly higher costs:

Neodymium magnets cost 10-50x more than equivalent ferrite magnets
Rare earth phosphors cost 5-20x more than traditional zinc sulfide materials
Processing complexity requires specialized facilities and expertise
Supply chain concentration in China creates pricing volatility

Environmental Processing Challenges

Unlike traditional materials, rare earth processing involves:

Complex separation procedures requiring multiple chemical steps
Radioactive waste management due to thorium content in monazite
Toxic chemical usage in purification and separation processes
High energy consumption (200 GJ per tonne) for processing

Technical Limitations

Despite superior properties, rare earth materials have constraints:

Temperature sensitivity of neodymium magnets above 80-200°C
Corrosion susceptibility requiring protective coatings
Brittleness making mechanical processing challenging
Demagnetization risk under extreme conditions