Rare earths are among the most critical raw materials on the planet, deeply embedded in the technologies that underpin modern life. Yet few people had even heard of them until the eruption of the US-China trade war thrust them into the limelight.
With obscure names like gadolinium and dysprosium, rare earths are used across sectors — from semiconductors and iPhones to MRI machines and cancer treatments. More recently, demand has been propelled by the green tech that’s helping to cut carbon emissions.