rare earth
noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
Examples of rare earth in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Eager to dig up the rare earth metals necessary for modern weapons systems?
—
Michael Rosen, National Review, 28 Mar. 2024
Electronic devices require raw materials, including rare earth metals, that are extracted and processed in a highly energy-intensive process, mainly powered by fossil fuels.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The Petroleum Directorate, which on Jan. 1 changed its name to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate, estimates that the country’s seabed contains large stores of cobalt, copper and rare earth metals at depths between 1,500 and 6,000 meters (4,900 to 19,700 feet).
—Todd Woody, Fortune Europe, 13 Jan. 2024
While silicon is commonly used for solar panels today, perovskite has several advantages, including simpler fabrication methods, lower production costs, flexible design capability, the potential for higher energy conversion efficiencies, and no need for rare earth metals.
—IEEE Spectrum, 10 Nov. 2023
That’s all to say that rare earth metals like neodymium (and commonly used additives like dysprosium, terbium, and praesodymium) are pretty important.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 2 June 2023
Our earth contains a plethora of iron and rare earth metals that were created through stellar nucleosynthesis during billions of years of supernovae enrichment.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
In the past, the battery and rare earth recycling industry has relied on two other standard practices, Sauve said.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Feb. 2024
Last month, China announced export restrictions on two rare earths, gallium and germanium, that are used to make computer chips, which left many countries scrambling for alternatives.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2023
Michael Rosen, National Review, 28 Mar. 2024
Electronic devices require raw materials, including rare earth metals, that are extracted and processed in a highly energy-intensive process, mainly powered by fossil fuels.
—Rachel Ramirez, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
The Petroleum Directorate, which on Jan. 1 changed its name to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate, estimates that the country’s seabed contains large stores of cobalt, copper and rare earth metals at depths between 1,500 and 6,000 meters (4,900 to 19,700 feet).
—Todd Woody, Fortune Europe, 13 Jan. 2024
While silicon is commonly used for solar panels today, perovskite has several advantages, including simpler fabrication methods, lower production costs, flexible design capability, the potential for higher energy conversion efficiencies, and no need for rare earth metals.
—IEEE Spectrum, 10 Nov. 2023
That’s all to say that rare earth metals like neodymium (and commonly used additives like dysprosium, terbium, and praesodymium) are pretty important.
—Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 2 June 2023
Our earth contains a plethora of iron and rare earth metals that were created through stellar nucleosynthesis during billions of years of supernovae enrichment.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
In the past, the battery and rare earth recycling industry has relied on two other standard practices, Sauve said.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Feb. 2024
Last month, China announced export restrictions on two rare earths, gallium and germanium, that are used to make computer chips, which left many countries scrambling for alternatives.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rare earth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Rare earth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rare%20earth. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
rare earth
noun
1
: any of a group of similar oxides of metals or a mixture of such oxides occurring together in widely distributed but relatively scarce minerals
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