{"id":10473,"date":"2017-08-22T12:00:08","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T12:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/?p=10473"},"modified":"2017-08-22T12:20:13","modified_gmt":"2017-08-22T12:20:13","slug":"are-rare-earth-elements-as-rare-as-solar-eclipses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/are-rare-earth-elements-as-rare-as-solar-eclipses\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Rare Earth Elements as Rare as Solar Eclipses?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RareThe buzz this week has been about the very rare solar eclipse – a celestial event in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for a certain period of time. According to NASA<\/a>, the last total eclipse in the contiguous United States occurred on Feb. 26, 1979. The last total eclipse that crossed the entire continent occurred on June 8, 1918. <\/span><\/p>\n

The last solar eclipse happened almost 40 years ago.  Because solar eclipses don’t happen often, they are considered rare events. However, in mining, the term ‘rare’ doesn’t mean that at all.  The term ‘Rare Earth Elements<\/a>‘ is used to classify the 17 elements composed of scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides — and yet they are in abundance.  (Read about all the rare earth elements in this article: Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?<\/a>)<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

According to the US Geological Survey<\/a>, “Rare-earths production is derived from the rare-earths ores bastnasite, monazite, xenontime, and ion-adsorption clay. Bastnasite is the world’s principal source of rare earths and is produced in China and the United States. Significant quantities of rare earths are also recovered from the mineral monazite. Xenotime and ion-adsorption clays account for a much smaller part of the total production but are important sources of yttrium and other heavy-group rare earths.”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Rare earth elements (REEs) have diverse applications in many fast-growing industries including consumer electronics, automotive, rechargeable batteries, and medical imaging.<\/span>These REEs are used in petroleum fluid cracking catalysts, metallurgical applications, glass polishing compounds, glass additives, permanent magnets, catalytic converter materials, and television, lighting, and X-ray intensifying phosphors, to name a few. In fact, the popularity of hybrid vehicles<\/a> is also driving demand for the elements.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If they are abundant, why are they referred to as ‘rare’?  We addressed this in a previous article,
What’s So Rare About Rare Earth Elements?<\/a><\/em> But in a nutshell, it is because finding concentrations that are economically minable is unusual so they are rarely mined.  REEs rarely exist in pure form; they are usually concentrated in more than one mineral, and each mineral requires a different costly extraction technology and mineral processing. Geochemical exploration is the main method of REE exploration. Depending on the REE project type, portable XRF analyzers<\/a> are useful instruments that can provide real-time, on-site assays of REEs<\/a> and other elements in any type of geological samples.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some fun facts about rare earth elements in this infographic,<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

According to the latest USGS mineral commodity summary report<\/a>, rare earths were not mined domestically last year because excess global supply caused prices for many rare-earth compounds and metals to decline. The estimated value of rare-earth compounds and metals imported by the United States in 2016 was $120 million, a decrease from $160 million imported in 2015. China continues to dominate the global supply of rare earth production. In 2016, exploration and development assessments were conducted in several states throughout the United States. Additional projects were underway in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Greenland, India, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Turkey, and Vietnam. Limited quantities of rare earths are being recycled from batteries, permanent magnets, and fluorescent lamps.  <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

With all these projects going on in several different countries, maybe rare earth elements may get their name changed to ‘Not-So-Rare Earth Elements.”  And if you really want to view something that is rare, you will have to wait until April of 2024 for the next solar eclipse<\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Note:  If you stayed inside and didn’t take a look at the sun during the eclipse (and if you did, I hope you used protective eyewear), NASA has provided a wealth of images and resources here<\/a>.) <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The buzz this week has been about the very rare solar eclipse – a celestial event in which the moon passes between the sun and Earth and blocks all or part of the sun for a certain period of time. According to NASA, the last total eclipse in the contiguous United States occurred on Feb. 26, 1979. The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":10484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10473","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rare-earth-elements","8":"entry"},"_selected_authors":"","_selected_reviewers":"","acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAre Rare Earth Elements as Rare as Solar Eclipses?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Finding concentrations of REEs that are economically minable is unusual so they are rarely mined. 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Some have been around for quite awhile, but are still as relevant as ever. If you missed any of the latest articles, just click\u00a0here\u00a0to see the most recently published articles. You can even filter by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General\/Industry"","block_context":{"text":"General\/Industry","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/general-industry-mining\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Top 10, words, isolated on a dark blue background. Alphabet on stone blocks.Rating. Rating concept. 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According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), about 85% of potash is used in fertilizers, underscoring its critical role in global farming systems.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Data Management\/Lab Automation"","block_context":{"text":"Data Management\/Lab Automation","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/data-management-lab-automation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"potash evaporation ponds at mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/iStock-1362567340.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1624,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/a-halloween-treat-free-periodic-table\/","url_meta":{"origin":10473,"position":2},"title":"A Halloween Treat – Free Periodic Table","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"October 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"No tricks here. Download this handy periodic table and X-ray energy reference guide to help in analyzing your mining samples. \u00a0It's our treat. Then visit our Mining and Minerals, Cement Production, and Coal Power pages for more goodies. Download Periodic Table.\u00a0 \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis"","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"halloween scene with plastic pumpkin and candy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/No-Tricks-.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13488,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/the-role-of-edxrf-spectrometers-in-the-extraction-of-copper-from-ore\/","url_meta":{"origin":10473,"position":3},"title":"The Role of EDXRF Spectrometers in the Extraction of Copper from Ore","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"November 4, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Copper extraction is a complex process requiring precise control to ensure high purity. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometers play a vital role by providing fast, non-destructive elemental analysis of ores, concentrates, and intermediate products. This enables mining operations to optimize extraction efficiency, maintain quality assurance, and meet stringent industry\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis"","block_context":{"text":"Elemental\/Geochemical Analysis","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/elemental-geochemical-analysis\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a rock showing signs of copper and gold.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/10\/iStock-1309478061.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13986,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/best-practices-for-accurate-in-situ-geochemical-analysis\/","url_meta":{"origin":10473,"position":4},"title":"Best Practices for Accurate In Situ Geochemical Analysis","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis refers to elemental testing performed directly on geological materials in their natural location, avoiding the delays and costs associated with laboratory testing.\u00a0 While in situ geochemical analysis delivers immediate elemental data, the reliability of those results depends heavily on proper field methodology. 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As project timelines tighten and operational costs increase, organizations can no longer afford delays caused by traditional laboratory testing workflows. 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