{"id":7687,"date":"2023-05-02T08:00:09","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T08:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/?p=7687"},"modified":"2026-02-02T21:39:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T21:39:33","slug":"can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DeepRare Earth Elements (REEs) seem to always be in the news.\u00a0 The uncertainty surrounding metals demand, the mining<\/a> market, and China\u2019s economy all affect the value of rare earth elements.\u00a0 What isn\u2019t uncertain though is that the demand for them will continue to increase.\u00a0 REEs have diverse applications that touch many aspects of modern life.\u00a0 With the rapid rise in demand for electronics in the automotive, military, clean energy, and medical industries \u2013 and the continuous innovation involved in \u201cthe internet of things<\/a>\u201d — rare earths will have to continue to be mined as the USGS<\/a> reminds us that only limited quantities of rare earths are recovered from batteries, permanent magnets, and fluorescent lamps.<\/p>\n

But do you even know what rare earth elements are?<\/p>\n

According to the USGS<\/a>, \u201cThe rare earths are a relatively abundant group of 17 elements composed of scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides. (Try naming all 17 before looking at the chart below.) The elements range in crustal abundance from cerium, the 25th most abundant element of the 78 common elements in the Earth’s crust at 60 parts per million, to thulium and lutetium, the least abundant rare-earth elements at about 0.5 part per million. The elemental forms of rare earths are iron gray to silvery lustrous metals that are typically soft, malleable, and ductile and usually reactive, especially at elevated temperatures or when finely divided.\u201d<\/p>\n

And they are really not rare.\u00a0 They are just rarely mined because finding concentrations that are economically minable is unusual.\u00a0 Do you know all 17 elements? It\u2019s a little tricky since one of them is usually not included because it is rare and unstable* and another does not occur in economic concentrations in the same geological settings**.\u00a0 \u00a0Here they are in order of their atomic number on the periodic table.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Portable x-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analyzers<\/a> are valuable tools to the mining and minerals community<\/a>. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, one of which is the mining of Rare Earth Elements (REEs). \u00a0XRF Technology\u00a0<\/a>is a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials. XRF analyzers work by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-rays emitted from a sample when excited by a primary X-ray source. Each of the elements present in a sample produces a set of characteristic fluorescent X-rays, or \u201cunique fingerprints.\u201d These fingerprints are distinct for each element, making XRF analysis an excellent tool for quantitative and qualitative measurements.<\/p>\n

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.<\/a> Depending on the REE project type, portable XRF analyzers<\/a> are useful instruments that can provide real-time, on-site assays of REEs and other elements in any type of geological samples.<\/p>\n

The rare earths minerals summary report<\/a> released by the USGS in January 2023 notes that when it comes to import sources “Rare-earth compounds and metals: China, 74%; Malaysia, 8%; Estonia and Japan, 5% each; and other, 8%. Compounds and metals imported from Estonia, Japan, and Malaysia were derived from mineral concentrates and chemical intermediates produced in Australia, China, and elsewhere…. Global mine production was estimated to have increased to 300,000 tons of REO equivalent. China\u2019s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology raised 2022 quotas for rare-earth mining and separation to 210,000 tons and 202,000 tons of REO equivalent, respectively. The mine production quota was allocated to 190,850 tons of light rare earths and 19,150 tons of ion-adsorption clays.”<\/p>\n

So how did you do?\u00a0 Could you name all 17 before reading the article?\u00a0 It’s rare that someone can name them all.<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note:\u00a0 The article was originally published on Mar 3, 2016, by Chris Calam but has been refreshed and updated with the latest USGS information.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) seem to always be in the news.\u00a0 The uncertainty surrounding metals demand, the mining market, and China\u2019s economy all affect the value of rare earth elements.\u00a0 What isn\u2019t uncertain though is that the demand for them will continue to increase.\u00a0 REEs have diverse applications that touch many aspects of modern life.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":12860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","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":[4,27],"tags":[],"division":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-exploration","8":"category-rare-earth-elements","9":"entry"},"_selected_authors":[1288],"_selected_reviewers":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCan You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Advancing Mining\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"724\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"483\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Calam\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@thermofisher\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Chris Calam\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Calam\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52\"},\"headline\":\"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":637,\"commentCount\":8,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Exploration\",\"Rare Earth Elements\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/\",\"name\":\"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52\"},\"description\":\"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg\",\"width\":724,\"height\":483,\"caption\":\"Deep excavation hole of an open pit mine for rare earth elements\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.thermofisher.com\\\/blog\\\/mining\\\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/\",\"name\":\"Advancing Mining\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/mining\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52\",\"name\":\"Chris Calam\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Chris Calam\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\\\/author\\\/chris-calamthermofisher-com\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?","description":"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?","og_description":"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).","og_url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/","og_site_name":"Advancing Mining","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thermofisher","article_published_time":"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":724,"height":483,"url":"http:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Chris Calam","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@thermofisher","twitter_site":"@thermofisher","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Chris Calam","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/"},"author":{"name":"Chris Calam","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52"},"headline":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?","datePublished":"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/"},"wordCount":637,"commentCount":8,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","articleSection":["Exploration","Rare Earth Elements"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/","url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/","name":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","datePublished":"2023-05-02T08:00:09+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T21:39:33+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52"},"description":"Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology can be used in a wide range of mineralogical and geological exploration markets, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs).","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","width":724,"height":483,"caption":"Deep excavation hole of an open pit mine for rare earth elements"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/can-you-name-all-17-rare-earth-elements\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Can You Name All 17 Rare Earth Elements?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#website","url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/","name":"Advancing Mining","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/#\/schema\/person\/5b7849d9c50120c808cb077b65fe9a52","name":"Chris Calam","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f5fd32e65c3e407a57f3bd975091000dfc9275cbb2c44fc4cf24d6417918d18?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Chris Calam"},"url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/chris-calamthermofisher-com\/"}]}},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":4,"label":"Exploration"},{"value":27,"label":"Rare Earth Elements"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg",724,483,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"Chris Calam","author_link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/author\/chris-calamthermofisher-com\/"},"comment_info":8,"category_info":[{"term_id":4,"name":"Exploration","slug":"exploration","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":4,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":150,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":4,"category_count":150,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Exploration","category_nicename":"exploration","category_parent":0},{"term_id":27,"name":"Rare Earth Elements","slug":"rare-earth-elements","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":27,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":29,"filter":"raw","meta":[],"cat_ID":27,"category_count":29,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Rare Earth Elements","category_nicename":"rare-earth-elements","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13544,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/did-you-read-these-mining-and-minerals-articles-yet\/","url_meta":{"origin":7687,"position":0},"title":"Did You Read These Mining and Minerals Articles Yet?","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"According to Google, here are the Top 10 read articles this year from Advancing Mining. 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. Background.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.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\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/12\/iStock-1411361298.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":7687,"position":1},"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":7687,"position":2},"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":2707,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/potash-a-look-at-the-worlds-most-popular-fertilizer\/","url_meta":{"origin":7687,"position":3},"title":"Potash: A Look at the World\u2019s Most Popular Fertilizer","author":"Ali Somarin","date":"April 8, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Potash Explained Potash is one of the most essential fertilizers in modern agriculture, supplying potassium\u2014an irreplaceable nutrient that supports plant growth, crop yield, and overall food production. 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":13986,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/best-practices-for-accurate-in-situ-geochemical-analysis\/","url_meta":{"origin":7687,"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. Portable analytical technologies used\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exploration"","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mining truck on a dirt road in the Andes, Chile (near Embalse El Yeso, Caj\u00f3n del Maipo, San Jos\u00e9 de Maipo)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-2222354034.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13977,"url":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/what-is-in-situ-geochemical-analysis-and-why-it-is-critical-for-modern-field-operations\/","url_meta":{"origin":7687,"position":5},"title":"What Is In Situ Geochemical Analysis \u2014 And Why It Is Critical for Modern Field Operations","author":"Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"In situ geochemical analysis has become a cornerstone of modern mineral exploration, mining, and environmental fieldwork. As project timelines tighten and operational costs increase, organizations can no longer afford delays caused by traditional laboratory testing workflows. In situ analysis \u2014 the ability to measure elemental composition directly at the sampling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Exploration"","block_context":{"text":"Exploration","link":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/exploration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of industrial worker holding mineral ore in gloved hands on mining site","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/03\/iStock-896157842.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/admin.acceleratingscience.com\/mining\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/03\/iStock-1460879566_rareearthsmine.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/70"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7687"},{"taxonomy":"division","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thermofisher.com\/blog\/mining\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/division?post=7687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}