The 17 rare earth elements
The rare earth elements are the 15 lanthanides (lanthanum to lutetium, atomic numbers 57-71) plus scandium and yttrium. We group them as light and heavy rare earths using one convention across the site. For current prices, see rare earth prices.
Light rare earth elements
Lanthanum to europium (atomic numbers 57-63). More abundant; mined mainly from bastnäsite and monazite.
Lanthanum
Light rare earth element
Lanthanum is one of the most reactive rare earth elements and the first in the lanthanide series. It's used extensively in high-end optics,…
Cerium
Light rare earth element
Cerium is the most abundant rare earth element, about 66 parts per million of the Earth's crust, roughly as common as copper. It's widely…
Praseodymium
Light rare earth element
Praseodymium is a soft, silvery-white metal that is valued for its magnetic and optical properties. It's commonly used in combination with…
Neodymium
Light rare earth element
Neodymium is perhaps the most commercially significant rare earth element today. It's essential for creating the powerful permanent magnets…
Promethium
Light rare earth element
Promethium is unique among rare earth elements as it has no stable isotopes and is extremely rare in nature. It's primarily produced…
Samarium
Light rare earth element
Samarium is particularly known for its use in samarium-cobalt magnets, which maintain their magnetic properties at high temperatures. It's…
Europium
Light rare earth element
Europium is one of the rarest and most reactive rare earth elements. It's essential for producing the red color in television and computer…
Heavy rare earth elements
Gadolinium to lutetium (64-71) plus yttrium. Scarcer and usually more expensive; ion-adsorption clays are a key source.
Yttrium
Heavy rare earth element
Yttrium is a silvery rare earth metal that was discovered in the late 18th century. It's widely used in making red phosphors for LED…
Gadolinium
Heavy rare earth element
Gadolinium possesses unusual metallurgic properties, with high neutron absorption capabilities and remarkable magnetic characteristics. It's…
Terbium
Heavy rare earth element
Terbium is a scarce heavy rare earth metal whose ions glow bright green. Today its main use is in high-temperature NdFeB magnets for…
Dysprosium
Heavy rare earth element
Dysprosium is crucial for creating high-performance magnets that maintain their magnetic properties at high temperatures. This makes it…
Holmium
Heavy rare earth element
Holmium has the highest magnetic moment of any naturally occurring element, making it valuable for creating powerful magnetic fields. It's…
Erbium
Heavy rare earth element
Erbium is particularly valuable in fiber-optic communication technology, where it's used to amplify signals. Its pink salts are used in…
Thulium
Heavy rare earth element
Thulium is one of the rarest rare earth elements. It's used in portable X-ray devices and specialized laser systems. The element's isotopes…
Ytterbium
Heavy rare earth element
Ytterbium is used in fiber optic technology and as a dopant in specialized optical fibers. It's also valuable in radiation monitoring and as…
Lutetium
Heavy rare earth element
Lutetium is the last element in the lanthanide series and one of the most expensive rare earth elements. It's used in PET scanners for…
Scandium
Counted among the rare earths but grouped separately, because it rarely occurs in the same deposits as the lanthanides.