Metropolitan Digital

Men's Weekly


.

What are rare earths, crucial elements in modern technology? 4 questions answered

  • Written by Stanley Mertzman, Professor of Geosciences, Franklin & Marshall College
What are rare earths, crucial elements in modern technology? 4 questions answeredA handful of europium.Alchemist-hp, CC BY-SA

Most Americans use rare earth elements every day – without knowing it, or knowing anything about what they do. That could change, as these unusual materials are becoming a focal point in the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.

Stanley Mertzman, a geologist whose specialty is X-ray...

Read more: What are rare earths, crucial elements in modern technology? 4 questions answered

Metropolitan republishes selected articles from The Conversation USA with permission

Visit The Conversation to see more