Rare earths, explained
By David Case — GlobalPost
Published: October 20, 2010 05:08 ET in Asia
Rare earths, used in everything from iPhones to guided missiles, are controlled primarily by China, alarming the United States and other western countries.
BOSTON, Mass. — Rare earths. Suddenly you can barely visit a website without banner headlines screaming seemingly apocalyptic allegations about rare earths.
Rare earths are used in permanent magnets, which are integral to modern electronics and green technologies. They’re in iPhones, earbuds, cell phones and hard drives. Their use is not exactly new: they were in cathode tube televisions, although they are now in flat screens too. They’re in electric automobile windows, MRI machines, and compact fluorescent bulbs. A Toyota Prius contains at least two pounds of them. Each advanced wind turbine has roughly 660 pounds of the soft silvery metal neodymium.
They are also used in guided missiles and other weapons systems.
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