Rare Earth Elements

Question 1

What are the 6 uses of REE?

Answer 1

Catalysts 
Polishing
Glass
Phosphors
Magnets
Metal alloys

Question 2

What two catalysts do REE produce?

Answer 2

Fluid cracking catalysts

Catalytic converters

Question 3

What REE polish things?

Answer 3

Cerium powders polish via chemical reactions

Question 4

What two things contain magnets using REE?

Answer 4

Music speakers and wind turbines

Question 5

What batteries use REE metal alloys?

Answer 5

NIMH batteries

Question 6

What are REE phosphors used for?

Answer 6

Lights to show red green and blue light. The REE that do this are Y, Eu and Tb

Question 7

What REE is used in glass lenses in cameras?

Answer 7

Lanthanum

Question 8

What is added to optical lenses to inhibit UV transmission?

Answer 8

Cerium

Question 9

What two type of minerals contain REE?

Answer 9

Carbonates

Phospho-silicates

Question 10

Give an example of a carbonate

Answer 10

Bastnasite

Question 11

Give two examples of a phospho-silicate what’s bad about them?

Answer 11

Monazite and xenotime

They both contain Th and U which are radioactive elements.

Question 12

What three ways cause REE to occur?

Answer 12

Placer-by product
Weathering-residual deposits
Rifting-produced by peralkaline and carbonates

Question 13

Give examples of two dates involving China where REE were withheld and made more expensive.

Answer 13

2010- china cut them by 40% and the price increased by 30 times

2011- granular approach but still 10 times more than 2009

Question 14

Where is the largest supply of rare earth elements in Europe?

Answer 14

Greenland (6%)

Question 15

Give an example of a REE scandal involving China?

Answer 15

China got caught leaking radioactive substances and said they were trying to better the environment. So they weren’t making as many REE.

Question 16

What are ionic laterite deposits enriched with?

Answer 16

Heavier REE which are rarer and so more expensive.

Question 17

What’s bad about people mining REE if they’re uneducated?

Answer 17

They are releasing radioactive elements through their bad practices.

Question 18

What are ionic clay laterite deposits?

Answer 18

A very important source of REE but the source is depleting

Question 19

What are the two methods of mining?

Answer 19

Underground and open pit.

Question 20

What’s the importance of dysprosium oxide?

Answer 20

It is essential for NdFeB magnets that operate at big temperatures

Question 21

What’s happening to the demand of dysprosium oxide and supply?

Answer 21

The demand is increasing but supply may be decreasing