•  Rare Earth Minerals (REM) are a collection of seventeen metallic elements. These include the fifteen lanthanides in the periodic table in addition to scandium and yttrium which exhibit similar physical and chemical properties to lanthanides.

•  REM have unique catalytic, metallurgical, nuclear, electrical, magnetic and luminescent properties. Although referred to as "rare earths", they are actually not that rare and are relatively abundant in the earth's crust.

•  India has the fifth largest reserve of rare earth minerals in the world.

•  Due to the radioactivity of monazite sands, Indian Rare Earths Ltd, under the Department of Atomic Energy, is the sole producer of rare earth compounds.

•  Globally, China has a monopoly on rare earths, after the United States withdrew from this sector due to high environmental and health concerns.

REM Strategic Importance:

•  They have distinctive electrical, metallurgical, catalytic, nuclear, magnetic and luminescent properties.

•  Its use ranges from daily use (e.g., lighter stones, glass polishing equipment, car alternators) to high-end technology (lasers, magnets, batteries, fiber-optic telecommunications cables).

•  Even futuristic technologies need these REMs (e.g. high temperature superconductivity, safe hydrogen storage and transport for post-hydrocarbon economy, global warming and energy efficiency).

•  Thanks to their unique magnetic, luminescent and electrochemical properties, they help technologies operate with low weight, reduced emissions and energy consumption; This gives them higher efficiency, performance, miniaturization, speed, durability and thermal stability.