Prelims Perspective: What needs to be learned?

  • What are Rare Earth Elements
  • Significance of Rare Earth elements
  • Distribution in India

Mains Perspective: Notes need to be prepared

  • Energy Transition (GS III- Economy)
  • Applications of REE (GS III- Science and Technology)
  • Geopolitics and Supply Chain Dynamics (GS II- International Relations)

Prelims Facts

  • A group of 17 metallic elements in the periodic table, including 15 Lanthanides.
  • They are not very scarce on the Earth’s crust, but are difficult and quite expensive to extract- Hence called Rare Earth Elements.

What needs to be known?

  • Significance of Rare Earth Elements:
    • Enable high-strength magnets like those used in EVs and wind turbines.
    • Used in Phosphors: Substances that emit light when irradiated.
    • Used for Catalysis: e.g., Cerium in refineries
    • In defense technology: e.g., radars and other defense technologies.

Source: The Economic Times