Rare earth metals

Class: Non-Ferrous Metals

Group: Rare Metals

Subgroup: Rare Earth Metals

Rare earth elements (REE) or Rare earth metals (REM)

REE is the common name of 17 chemical elements: scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y) and the 15 elements of the lanthanide group: lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosim (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu).

REE are divided into two groups:

Light rare earth elements (LREE), also known as the cerium group: Sc, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd.

Light Rare Earth Metals have a density in the range 5,5-8,0 g/сm³. Scandium is the exception. Scandium has a density of 2,99 g/сm³.

Heavy rare earth elements (HREE), also known as the yttrium group: Y, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu.

Heavy Rare Earth metals have a density of 8,0-10,0 g/сm³. Yttrium and ytterbium are exceptions. Yttrium has a density of 4.47 g/сm³.

These metals have common properties:

Silvery white color. Pr, Nd have a yellow tint.
Magnetic properties
In nature it exists only in the form of oxides (rare-earth oxides REO)). The general formula R₂O₃.
Isomorphism
Ductile and easily machined
REE react with water (by heating - rapidly), hydrochloric, sulfuric and nitric acids.

Rare-earth elements, which are most in demand:

In the world there is a shortage of these REE: Y, Dy, Nd, Eu, Tb. The increase in production volumes La, Ce leads to lower prices for these metals.

The role of the rare earth metals in the developed economies is growing. Especially needed a The role of the rare earth metals in the developed economies is heavy rare earth elements (HREE). The main consumers of rare earth elements are China, Japan, US, EU.

The main suppliers of rare earth elements in the United States in 2000-2005 they were: China, France, Japan and Estonia.

Collectively, the rare earth elements contribute to vital technologies we rely on today for safety, health and comfort. All of the rare earth elements contribute to the advancement of modern technologies and to promising discoveries yet to come.

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