rare earth
Noun
Meaning
any element of the lanthanide series (atomic numbers 57 through 71)
Source: WordNetAlternative names
Rare-earth
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Examples
[T]he rare earth elements perplex us in our researches, baffle us in our speculations, and haunt us in our very dreams. They stretch like an unknown sea before us mocking, mystifying and murmuring strange revelations and possibilities.
Five centuries from now - barring unimaginable catastrophe - the moon will be developed real estate. There's economic incentive to exploit the moon - the helium-3 will be useful in powering fusion reactors, and the rare earth elements could supplant the limited terrestrial supply of these materials.
Also, the method of separating the rare-earth elements by the method of ion exchange had not been invented yet in Moseley's time.
The EU also wants to study ways to reuse, repair and recycle products that use rare earth minerals.
Element substitution for the calcium cation often includes certain rare earth elements (REE), such as yttrium and cerium.
Attention is now turning to previously inaccessible rare-earth elements, key inputs for the manufacturing of modern technologies from smart phones to defense applications.