CSIR Scientists find rare earth deposits in Anantapur

Subject : Science and technology

Concept :

Hyderabad based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) has found large deposits of 15 rare earth elements (REE) in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district.

About Rare Earth Elements (REE):

REE are a set of seventeen elements in the periodic table. These include the fifteen lanthanides on the periodic table plus scandium and yttrium.
Lanthanide series comprises the 15 metallic chemical elements with atomic numbers 57 through 71, from lanthanum through lutetium.
Scandium and yttrium are considered rare-earth elements because they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties, but have different electronic and magnetic properties.
Cerium (AN 58) is the most abundant rare earth metal.
Their colour ranges from Shiny Silver to Iron Gray. They are soft, malleable, ductile and usually reactive, especially at elevated temperatures or when finely divided.
REE are all metals, and the group is often referred to as the “rare earth metals.
Although called “rare”, they are actually found relatively abundantly in the Earth’s crust.

Why they are called “rare”?

These metals are very difficult to mine because it is unusual to find them in concentrations high enough for economical extraction.
These metals have many similar properties, and that often causes them to be found together in geologic deposits.
They are also referred to as “rare earth oxides” because many of them are typically sold as oxide compounds.

Applications:

REE and alloys that contain them are used in many devices that people use every day such as computer memory, DVDs, rechargeable batteries, cell phones, catalytic converters, magnets, fluorescent lighting and much more.
Rare earths are used as catalysts, phosphors, and polishing compounds.