(noun) A group of 17 metallic elements that have similar chemical properties and are essential for modern industry. They often occur together in nature
In 2025, rare earths have come to symbolise the global battle over critical minerals like never before — and become shorthand for the way in which the west is scrambling to compete with China’s dominance in supply chains.
Although they are not in fact “rare” in geologic terms, rare earths such as neodymium are extremely difficult to separate and refine, a process that is at present totally dominated by China. They are also essential for modern industry, used in everything from aeroplanes to electric vehicles to wind turbines, and crucial for the “permanent magnets” in certain motors.
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