00:01Crucial for making smartphones, fighter jets and electric cars,
00:05rare earth metals have become a strategic bargaining chip
00:09since main producer China this year introduced restrictions on their exports.
00:14As the EU unveils a plan on Wednesday for boosting European production of critical raw materials
00:21to reduce reliance on China, here are some facts about these 17 elements and their key uses.
00:30Global raw production of rare earths increased from 220,000 tonnes in 2019 to 390,000 tonnes in 2024,
00:45an increase of 77% over five years, according to a benchmark commodities report by French research group Circle Cyclope.
00:55Four elements account for most of the sector's economic value.
00:59Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium and Terbium.
01:08These four magnetic rare earths are mainly used to make magnets,
01:13notably neodymium-iron-boron magnets, about ten times more powerful than conventional ones.
01:20Use of the rare elements maximizes magnets' performance while reducing size and weight,
01:26said Damien Ambroise, energy manager at French consultancy Bartle.
01:31A single offshore wind turbine contains up to one tonne of such magnetic rare earths.
01:37Aviation is a major consumer of rare earths, especially for military plane manufacturing.
01:48According to the U.S. specialist newsletter Rare Earth Exchanges,
01:52U.S. aerospace firm Lockheed Martin is the biggest American user of Samarium, employed to make magnets that can withstand extremely high temperatures.
02:03Each F-35 fighter jet requires more than 400 kilograms of rare earths, according to a report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
02:13Scandium is used to make light, strong aluminum-based alloys prized in aerospace and also in high-end sports gear such as golf clubs, bicycles and baseball bats.
02:25Rare Earths are also found in every smartphone, enhancing screen performance and enabling the phone to vibrate.
02:36Each handset contains about three grams of them, more than 3,700 tons overall for the 1.24 billion devices sold worldwide in 2024.
02:48Each hybrid or electric vehicle battery and motor contains between 1.2 and 3.5 kilograms of rare earths, according to an estimate by France's Bureau of Geological and Mining Research.
03:07They are also used in the manufacture of miniature motors, such as those that fold away a car's wing mirrors automatically when it is parked.
03:16Combustion engine vehicles use rare earths too, notably in catalytic converters.
03:22Lanthanum and cerium help cut fine particle emissions.
03:31In the chemical industry, cerium is widely used in oil refining and glass polishing, as well as in flints for cigarette lighters.
03:40Erbium is used in various medical fields, including dentistry, dermatology and ophthalmology.
03:47Erbium and neodymium are also important in making lasers for industrial engraving and cutting.
03:54Adding different rare earths alters the wavelength of the laser, and thus its use and colour, Ambroise said.
04:01It makes for pretty colours in sound and light shows.
04:08The
Comments