Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements comprising the lanthanides (lanthanum to lutetium) plus scandium and yttrium, characterized by partially filled 4f electron shells that confer unique magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties. In geochemistry and materials science, REEs are typically divided into light and heavy subgroups based on atomic number and ionic radius, which control partitioning behavior, coordination chemistry, and lattice incorporation in minerals. Their coherent but subtly fractionated behavior in magmatic, metamorphic, and sedimentary processes makes REE patterns powerful tracers of source composition, redox conditions, and fluid–rock interaction in Earth and planetary systems.
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