Rare Minerals

We are producing many type of earth minerals and metals in Russian Federation and exporting to over the globe. 

Rare earth elements (REEs), which comprise of only 17 elements from the entire periodic table, play a critical role to our national security, energy independence, environmental future, and economic growth.  Many advanced technologies have components made from REEs such as magnets, batteries, phosphors, and catalysts. These components are used in various sectors of the countries economy including health care, transportation, power generation, petroleum refining, and consumer electronics. Because of this critical role, interest and research into the recovery of REEs from end-of-life products and secondary sources such as coal and coal byproducts has recently increased.

Rare earth elements (REE) are key parts of modern manufacturing. Even though they’re invisible to most end consumers, they’re indispensable metals in electronics manufacturing.

Like other minerals, rare earth metals have a limited supply. But despite being called rare, they’re more abundant than gold. Thulium, the rarest REE, is 125 times more prevalent than gold. While cerium, the most prolific REE, is just as abundant as copper.

However, these metals are rare because you can’t find them in high concentrations in the earth’s crust. Plus, their geochemical properties make it hard to separate them and obtain pure metal. As a result, they cost more to produce.

You can use rare earth metals in their pure form or in combination with other elements. In the light REEs category, neodymium has the highest number of uses. For one, you can use it on mobile phones, medical equipment, and electric cars. It’s the best rare metal for making permanent magnets.

Neodymium magnets are strong and highly useful when weight and space are limiting factors. They help make wind turbines and storage devices like CD/DVD and hard disk drives. Moreover, you can also use them in automotive systems like audio speakers, power steering, power seats, and electric windows.

Another crucial light REE is praseodymium. When used with magnesium alloys, it is a vital element in the making of aircraft engines. You can also use it for studio lighting in the film industry and for making permanent magnets.

Rare earth metals have luminescent properties, making them effective in producing fluorescent tubes and LED lights. REEs like yttrium, terbium, and europium can produce different colors in light bulbs, such as red, green, and blue. Due to their luminescent properties, these metals help make LCD screens, from smartphones to large television sets.

Lanthanum helps to make approximately half of all digital camera lenses, including those used in smartphones. Its alloys are a key component in the making of batteries for hybrid and electric cars.

Other applications of REEs include the making of microphones, headphones, lasers, satellites, radar, and sonar. Although using rare earth metals in electronics contributes a small part to the final product, the product can’t function without them.

1. Rare Earth Minerals (Contain rare earth elements)

• Bastnäsite (Ce, La, Y) CO3F

• Monazite (Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y) PO4

• Xenotime (YPO4)

• Allanite (Ce, La, Nd, Y)2 (Al, Fe)3 (SiO4)3 (OH) 

2. Precious and Rare Gem Minerals

• Painite – Once considered the rarest mineral on Earth

• Grandidierite – Extremely rare bluish-green gemstone

• Taaffeite – A rare beryllium aluminum oxide mineral

• Jeremejevite – Rare aluminum borate mineral

 

3. Metallic Rare Minerals

• Iridium – Found in platinum ores, extremely dense

• Rhodium – Used in jewelry and catalysts

• Tantalite (Source of Tantalum) – Used in electronics

• Astatine – One of the rarest elements on Earth

 

4. Space and Meteorite-Based Minerals

• Stishovite – High-pressure quartz from meteorite impacts

• Carmeltazite – Found in Russian meteorites, rarer than diamonds

• Tetrataenite – Found in meteorites, rare iron-nickel alloy

 

Industrial Earth Minerals: 

 Russian Industrial minerals are non-metallic minerals used in various industries for manufacturing, construction, and agriculture. Below is a list of major industrial earth minerals with their properties and applications:

Rare Earth Metals

The following are among the different rare earth elements used in many applications, particularly electric motors. These metals apply to other industries such as medicine, telecommunications, transportation, and aviation, among several others. Discover their key features, as well as the unique benefits of each metal.

Lanthanum

Lanthanum comes with a silver-white color and is the most reactive of all rare earth metals. This metal is often used in telescope and camera lenses, as well as in producing malleable steel. Some industries also use this element in petroleum refining and wastewater treatment, to name a few.

Praseodymium

In earlier times, artisans used praseodymium in ceramics to give products a yellow-orange stain color. With use in many applications, praseodymium produces metals with superb strength used in aircraft engines.

Scandium

Various products available in the market use scandium, or a type of metal that is non-lanthanide by nature. Scandium is often used in energy-efficient bulbs, or lamps, and in televisions. As for its industrial applications, it gives metal compounds a stronger and denser quality. Based on the researchers, in Madagascar and Scandinavia, this metal comes with a few concentrated sources including;

• Euxenite

• Gadolinite

• Thortveitite

Cerium

Cerium is another type of metal used in industries and quickly oxidizes in the air. It is usually utilized in automotive exhaust systems as it helps reduce emissions. Plus, cerium is also useful in polishing glass and is compatible with magnets, iron, aluminum alloys, magnesium, and specific types of electrodes.

Terbium

The most distinct feature of terbium is its soft quality that makes it easy to cut and use. A typical application is applying terbium to color displays and compact fluorescent lighting.

Terbium is also is an additive to several types of permanent rare earth magnets, which enhances them when used under extreme temperatures. Electronic devices, commercial technologies, and naval sonar systems also use this rare earth element.

Neodymium

Neodymium and praseodymium combine to produce a strong permanent magnet used by aircraft and vehicles. It is common to find neodymium in some electronic devices, including computer discs, headphones and other similar pieces of equipment. In industrial applications uses neodymium in producing infrared lasers with a high-powered quality.

Holmium

Renowned for its impressive magnetic properties, Holmium is an essential component in magnetic fields. This element is also useful in adding color to glass, cubic Zirconia, and used in microwave equipment.

Erbium

Regarded for its nuclear applications, Erbium controls rods that absorb neutrons. It is also an important component of sophisticated fiber optic communications equipment. Also, erbium makes lasers and other components used in the field of medicine.

Lutetium

Lutetium plays a significant role in a wide selection of applications relevant to positron emission tomography, medical technology, and petroleum refining. It also addresses many types of tumors.

Bottom Line

With the advancement in technology, more and more elements are being discovered and used as key elements in machines and pieces of equipment in industries.

Rare Earth Metals, for instance, provides excellent benefits when it comes to the improvement of essential technologies in the world today.

With these metals, companies can ensure the durability, integrity, and safety of equipment used in all sorts of applications. These also enhance the performance of modern technologies that promote greater productivity in several industries.