Question

What are rare earth elements?

Answer 1

Rare earth elements are a collection of 17 elements, including lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. These elements have similar chemical properties, making their separation difficult. However, newer separation methods have made the process easier and more economical.

Step-by-step explanation:

Rare earth elements are a collection of 17 elements including the lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. These elements often occur together and have similar chemical properties, making separation difficult. Rare earth elements are part of the second transition series and are transition elements in the fifth period of the periodic table. They have atomic numbers ranging from 39 to 47. The smelting process is used to extract a pure metal from a molten ore.

Lanthanides, which are part of the rare earth elements, are fairly abundant in the Earth's crust. Despite their historic characterization as rare, they are found in low concentrations mixed together with other rare earth elements. Due to their similar chemical properties, it is difficult to separate any one lanthanide from the others. However, newer separation methods, such as ion exchange resins, make the separation of these elements easier and more economical.

Answer 2

rare-earth element, any member of the group of chemical elements consisting of three elements in Group 3 (scandium [Sc], yttrium [Y], and lanthanum [La]) and the first extended row of elements below the main body of the periodic table (cerium [Ce] through lutetium [Lu]).