Paris – Rare earth metals are a big deal. They’re essential for making smartphones, fighter jets, electric cars, and even wind turbines. And this year, they’ve become an even bigger global bargaining chip after China — the world’s main supplier — put new limits on their exports.
As the EU prepares to announce a new plan to increase Europe’s own production of these critical raw materials, here’s a clear look at what rare earths are and why they matter so much.
The four rare earths that matter most
There are 17 rare earth elements in total, but four of them carry most of the economic weight:
- Neodymium
- Praseodymium
- Dysprosium
- Terbium
These are the “magnetic” rare earths — the ones most used for high-performance magnets.
Global production has surged from 220,000 tonnes in 2019 to 390,000 tonnes in 2024. That’s a 77% jump in just five years.
Powering the magnets in wind turbines
Those four rare earths are used to make incredibly strong neodymium-iron-boron magnets. They’re about 10 times stronger than regular magnets.
Why does that matter?
Because stronger magnets mean smaller, lighter, more efficient machines.
One large offshore wind turbine can contain up to one tonne of these magnetic rare earths.
Used in fighter jets — and even golf clubs
The aviation sector is a huge consumer of rare earths, especially the military.
Lockheed Martin, the company behind the F-35 fighter jet, is one of the biggest users of samarium, which helps create magnets that survive extremely high temperatures.
An F-35 jet alone contains more than 400 kilograms of rare earth elements.
And it’s not just jets.
Scandium is used to make strong, lightweight aluminum alloys — found in aircraft, bicycles, golf clubs, and baseball bats.
Inside every smartphone
Every smartphone on the planet contains rare earths. They help your screen look sharp and bright, and they power the vibration system.
Each phone has around three grams of rare earth materials.
With 1.24 billion smartphones sold in 2024, that adds up to more than 3,700 tonnes.
Electric vehicles and hybrids
Rare earths are also key to EVs and hybrids. Motors and batteries in these vehicles typically use 1.2 to 3.5 kilograms of rare earth metals.
They’re also used in small electric parts, like the motors that fold in car side mirrors automatically.
And even traditional gasoline cars use them — lanthanum and cerium help reduce harmful emissions in catalytic converters.
Across oil refineries, glassmaking, and lasers
Rare earths show up in places you might never expect:
- Cerium is used in oil refining, glass polishing, and even in the spark wheels of cigarette lighters.
- Erbium plays an important role in medical tools — from dental equipment to skin treatments and eye procedures.
- Erbium and neodymium are key ingredients in industrial lasers used for engraving and cutting.
By adding different rare earth elements, engineers can change the color and wavelength of a laser — the same tech behind the colorful beams you see in light shows.
Rare earths may not get as much attention as oil or gold, but they’re at the center of modern technology. And as global demand continues to surge — especially with the rise of AI, EVs, and renewable energy — the race to secure access to these metals is only heating up.
