Rare Earth Are Everywhere. Do You Know Why They Are Called "Industrial MSG"?

As a rare and non renewable strategic resource, rare earths have already entered people's lives, from smartphones and ceramic pigments to aerospace and military industries, with rare earths everywhere. So what exactly are rare earths? Why are rare earths called industrial MSG?

First, let's understand what rare earths are. Many people believe that rare earths are a 'special type of soil', but this notion is incorrect. Rare earth is a general term for the seventeen metal elements in the periodic table, including lanthanum elements, scandium, and yttrium. There are 250 types of rare earth minerals in nature, which are commonly classified into two types: light rare earths and heavy rare earths. Light rare earths include lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, and europium, while heavy rare earths include gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. Rare earths exist mostly in the form of rare earth minerals in nature, and require complex smelting and extraction processes to be used by us. Common rare earth minerals include phosphate cerium lanthanum ore, fluorocarbon cerium ore, yttrium phosphate ore, lanthanum vanadium brown curtain stone, etc. Common finished products include carbonate chloride rare earth, phosphate rare earth, mixed rare earth, etc.

After introducing so many types, I believe everyone has a certain understanding of the wide range of rare earth species. So what are their functions? Rare earths, due to their excellent optoelectronic and magnetic physical properties, can form various new materials with many materials and are widely used in various industries. Just as MSG adds color and freshness to dishes, rare earths also improve the quality and performance of many products. In military terms, rare earths have significantly improved the tactical performance of aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and titanium alloys; In the metallurgical industry, rare earths can improve the processing performance of steel, and rare earths can also improve the physical and chemical properties of alloys; In the petrochemical industry, molecular sieve catalysts made of rare earths have replaced aluminum silicate catalysts. In the process of synthesizing ammonia, a small amount of rare earth nitrate is used as a co catalyst, and its gas processing capacity is 1.5 times larger than that of nickel aluminum catalysts; In agriculture, rare earth elements can increase the chlorophyll content of plants, enhance photosynthesis, and promote plant growth and development. For example, spraying rare earth elements on apples and citrus fruits can increase the Vc content and total sugar content of the fruits. So rare earths are called "industrial MSG" for a reason. They are "used in small quantities and have a great effect", which is indeed comparable to MSG that enhances fragrance and freshness.