Essential to the production of smartphones, fighter jets, and electric vehicles, rare-earth metals have turned into a key strategic leverage point after China—the leading supplier—imposed export limits earlier this year.
As the EU rolls out a plan on Wednesday to boost European production of critical raw materials and reduce reliance on China, here are some key facts about these 17 elements and the ways industries use them:
Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium, and Terbium
According to a benchmark commodities report by the French research group Cercle CyclOpe, worldwide raw rare earth production rose from 220,000 tons in 2019 to 390,000 tons in 2024, marking a 77% increase over five years.
The majority of the sector’s economic value comes from four elements: neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium.
Wind Turbine Magnets
These four “magnetic” rare earth elements primarily help manufacture magnets, especially neodymium-iron-boron magnets, which deliver roughly ten times the strength of standard magnets.
According to Damien Ambroise, energy manager at French consultancy Bartle, incorporating these rare elements enhances magnet performance while minimizing their size and weight.
An offshore wind turbine can contain up to one ton of these magnetic rare earths.
Military Jets and Golf Clubs
The aviation industry is a significant user of rare earths, particularly in the production of military aircraft.
US aerospace company Lockheed Martin consumes the most samarium in the United States, using it to make magnets that withstand extremely high temperatures, according to the US newsletter Rare Earth Exchanges.
Each F-35 fighter jet contains over 400 kilograms of rare earth elements, according to a report by the US Congressional Research Service.
Scandium produces lightweight, strong aluminum alloys prized in aerospace and reinforces high-end sports equipment like golf clubs, bicycles, and baseball bats.
Mobile Phones
Rare earth elements are present in every smartphone, improving screen functionality and allowing the device to vibrate.
Each phone contains roughly three grams of these elements, totaling over 3,700 tons for the 1.24 billion units sold globally in 2024.
Electric and Conventional Vehicles
Each hybrid or electric vehicle’s battery and motor contains an estimated 1.2 to 3.5 kilograms of rare earth elements, according to France’s Bureau of Geological and Mining Research.
Rare earths help power small motors, such as those that automatically fold a car’s side mirrors when it parks.
Conventional combustion-engine vehicles also use rare earths, with lanthanum and cerium reducing fine particle emissions in catalytic converters.
Petroleum, Glass, and Laser Technologies
In the chemical sector, cerium is commonly used in oil refining and glass polishing, as well as in cigarette lighter flints.
Erbium finds applications in medicine, including dentistry, dermatology, and ophthalmology.
Both erbium and neodymium are key in manufacturing lasers for industrial cutting and engraving.
Incorporating different rare earths adjusts the laser’s wavelength, and thus changes its function and color. Ambroise noted that this also creates striking colors in sound-and-light shows.
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