In the 18th century, a Swedish scientist discovered some incredible magnetic metals and even he did not imagine the importance they would have in the future. Specifically, there are 15 elements that went from being “rare earths” to becoming essential metals for new electronic and environmental technologies; experts have called it the “new oil”.
These are the 15 metals, the use of each of them and where we can find them:
- Thulium – used in X-ray machines.
- Yttrium : we can find it in devices capable of detecting earthquakes.
- Promethium – is in nuclear batteries.
- Terbium – They use it for fluorescent lamps or to make energy-saving light bulbs.
- Lutetium – Its main use is in the oil refining process.
- Holmium : is a very magnetic metal that is used in magnets with a high power.
- Europium : we find it in laser beam machines, flat screens and mercury lamps.
- Samarium – Found in nuclear reactors.
- Neodymium : It is one of the main components of computer hard drives.
- Cerium : This metal is used to make diesel engine catalysts.
- Erbium – is an essential component of fiber optics and can also be used as a photographic development filter.
- Gadolino : this element has a magnetism that gives it properties suitable for industrial magnetic refrigeration.
- Dysprosium – is one of the elements used in hybrid vehicles.
- Praseodymium – found in aircraft engines. This curious metal is also part of the base of lights in the film industry.
- Lanthanum : reflective glass and car batteries are made of this metal.
The REE Rare Industry Vitamins (unusual vitamins of the industry), considers that all these elements are vital for low consumption technologies, advances in the environmental field and the development of electronics.
We must comment in this article that the country where 90% of these metals are found is China, and due to the high demand and the increase that occurs every year worldwide, the large Western and Japanese manufacturers are finding with a big problem, since China has already warned on several occasions that it will stop exporting these metals to cause the rest of the countries to depend 100% on their productions. In fact, this year China has already stopped exporting 40% of some of these metals.
Faced with this problem, Western companies have decided to go out in search of new opportunities to exploit REEs in other countries. In Australia, two deposits have been found and some companies are already starting to look for new mines in South Africa, Canada, Sweden, California and Greenland.
One of the companies that has obtained one of the mines located in Vietnam is Toyota, and magnetic metals are extracted from it to manufacture the most efficient batteries for its vehicles.
We want to highlight in this article that there are many experts who indicate that the work of Chinese producers should be recognized due to the excellent business vision they have had with the exploitation of these metals, in which a few years ago, nobody was interested.