Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements in the periodic table that have similar properties. This group includes the 15 lanthanides, which are from atomic numbers 57 to 71, plus scandium (Sc, atomic number 21) and yttrium (Y, atomic number 39). Despite their name, rare earth elements are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, but they are rarely found in economically exploitable concentrations. REEs are essential in various high-tech applications, such as in electronics, renewable energy technologies, and advanced materials. They play a crucial role in manufacturing products like smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and many types of catalysts. The extraction and processing of rare earth elements can be environmentally challenging, leading to increasing interest in recycling and alternative materials.
Donald Trump is proposing a resource exchange deal with Ukraine involving rare earth elements to enhance U.S. technological capabilities. Ukraine holds about five percent of the world's rare earth supply,…