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.
Prodigious siblings can be annoying. All too often, they steal the spotlight and cast behind them an infuriating shadow of achievement and high expectation. The same is true in mineralogy, where some minerals have long existed ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 7, 2025
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An international group of researchers has developed a novel approach that enhances the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), a key process in renewable energy technologies. By introducing rare earth single atoms ...
Nanomaterials
Aug 28, 2024
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93
The National Institute for Materials Science has successfully synthesized a new SmFe-based magnetic compound, SmFe8.8N1.1, which possesses superior intrinsic magnetic properties when compared to those of NdFeB compound used ...
Condensed Matter
Jul 24, 2024
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The special properties of rare earth magnetic materials are due to the electrons in the 4f shell. Until now, the magnetic properties of 4f electrons were considered almost impossible to control.
Condensed Matter
Jul 19, 2024
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187
Researchers from Trinity College Dublin's School of Natural Sciences have revealed a novel route to the formation of bastnäsite, a crucial mineral for the extraction of rare earth elements (REEs). Their work offers promise ...
Nanomaterials
Jun 25, 2024
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84
Cerium is a rare Earth metal that has numerous technological applications, for example, in some types of lightbulbs and flat-screen TVs. While the element is rare in Earth's crust, it is slightly more abundant in the universe. ...
General Physics
Mar 21, 2024
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Qubits are the building block for quantum technology, and finding or building qubits that are stable and easily manipulated is one of the central goals of quantum technology research. Scientists have found that an atom of ...
Condensed Matter
Feb 8, 2024
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170
Lanthanide (Ln3+)-doped photon avalanche (PA) upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) can be applied in super-resolution bioimaging, miniaturized lasers, single-molecule tracking and quantum optics.
Nanophysics
Oct 13, 2023
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106
Researchers have devised a method for combining high-cost platinum and a low-cost rare earth element, lanthanum, as an alloy to serve as a catalyst in the next generation of fuel cells that will improve their performance ...
Nanomaterials
Oct 11, 2022
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134
What do corncobs and tomato peels have to do with electronics? They both can be used to salvage valuable rare earth elements, like neodymium, from electronic waste. Penn State researchers used micro- and nanoparticles created ...
Nanomaterials
Aug 19, 2022
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