This article will tell about the general definition and properties of rare earth metals and the techniques to find these metals using metal detectors. There are 17 rare earth metals which we will study in this article. Here we will also be giving you a summary of the detailing part of rare earth metals. So, let us get into this in a little more detail.
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Verdict
In this article, we have learned about all the 17 rare earth metals known today. At the end of this article, you will learn about all the things we have learned so far. The rare earth metals are tough to find, and hence this needs to be handled and looked after very carefully.
The rare earth metals constitute of Lanthanide Series, including Yttrium and Scandium. In total, 17 earth metals are known so far. These earth metals are not found in their original form; they are in a mixed state hidden in some of the other minerals.
Scandium and Yttrium are considered in the lists of rare earth metals because they also are formed and seen in the same deposits of ore as the metals in the Lanthanide series do.
But the only difference can be seen in their electric and magnetic properties. The rare earth metals are hence detected by special kinds of metal detectors that have already been discussed.
Rare earth metals possess certain characteristics, which makes them different from known metals so far. So, you must choose the right metal detector for yourself.
List Of Rare Earth Metals
- Scandium: This rare earth metal has an atomic number 21. The texture is silvery-white and is very costly. This costs around $20,000 per kg and is used for research purposes.
- Yttrium: This metal has an atomic number 39 and has a silvery-metallic texture. This costs around $2.90 per kg and is used as an additive in alloys.
- Lanthanum: Lanthanum has atomic number 57 and is a soft, ductile, silvery-white metal. This costs around $276.42 per kg and is used in hybrid automobiles.
- Cerium: This has an atomic number 58 and is a soft, ductile, silvery-white metal used in alloy manufacture. This costs around $57 per gram.
- Praseodymium: This metal has the atomic number 59 and forms a flaky black oxide coating in the air. This costs around $52,000 per metric ton and is used in aircraft engines and alloys of permanent magnets.
- Neodymium: This metal has an atomic number of 60 and is a hard, slightly malleable silvery metal. This is used in making permanent magnets and costs around $44,000 per metric ton.
- Promethium: This metal salts glow in the dark with atomic number 61 and is used for research purposes. This costs around Rs 250000 per kg.
- Samarium: This is a moderately hard metal with an atomic number 62. This is used in infrared absorbing glass and costs around $5 per gram.
- Europium: This metal is a neutron absorber with an atomic number 63. This is used in nuclear reactors and costs around $7500 per kg.
- Gadolinium: This metal is used for making magnets and has the atomic number 64. This costs around $19,700 per metric ton.
- Terbium: This metal is soft enough and can be cut with a knife, and has the atomic number 65. This is used in low energy night-bulbs and costs around $1800 per 100 grams.
- Dysprosium: This is a free element found in minerals like Xenotime with atomic number 66. This is used to make hard disks and compact disks and costs around $300 per kg.
- Holmium: This is a bright silvery metal with an atomic number 67. This is used in alloys for magnet production and costs around Rs 225000 per kg.
- Thulium: This metal has grey lustre and can be cut with a knife with the atomic number 69. This metal is used to create lasers and costs around Rs 1.60 lakhs per kg.
- Lutetium: This metal is silvery-white with the atomic number 71. This is used in making catalysts in the petrochemical industry and costs around $10,000 per kg.
- Terbium: This is a very soft and silver metal with the atomic number 65. This is used in mercury lamps and costs around $1800 per 100 grams.
- Erbium: This is a soft white metal with an atomic number 68. This is used in sunglasses and glass fibres and costs around $1900 per kg.
P.S: All the metals discussed here can be detected with the help of metal detectors discussed below.
How To Find These Using Metal Detectors?
As the name suggests, rare earth metals are not at all rare. These are very commonly found in the earth’s crust. As we know that finding rare earth metals is deliberately a challenging and tedious task since these metals are not found in their native form.
These rare metals are almost found hidden, or within other minerals, so this becomes very difficult for the hunters to extract them or do a mining process. So, if we go through the USGS reports, we will find that these minerals are found in Monazite, Loparite, Bastnasite. Ion-adsorption clays are found in them.
When you look at the USGS reports, you will get to know that mineral resources are found in four main environments. These are:
- Carbonatites
- Alkaline igneous systems
- Ion-adsorption clay deposits
- Monazite-Xenotime bearing placer deposits.
So, the Carbonatites and placer deposits lead to the deposits of these rare earth metals’ sources. These metals are often turned out to be called ‘green elements’ since these are the essential elements found in the production of green energy technology.
With the advancement in hybrid cars’ technology, rare earth metals are critical to be detected carefully. You can look for technology metals also.
How To Find These With The Help Of A Metal Detector?
Metal detectors provide a lot more features to detect these metals. These are known to find high metal content in rich mineral deposits. These metals are highly precious and are hence collectable. Certain deep-seeking metal detectors are again a perfect choice. Some of the known metal detectors include:
There are again other metal detectors available which are again a perfect choice:
- Garrett GTI 2500 Metal Detector
- Ground tech Discovery SMR Smart 3D Ground Scanning detector
These metal detectors are very helpful while scanning for metals, whichever you search for. You need to keep in mind certain things, but again, you need to make sure to follow all the rules while metal detecting activity.
Once you encounter a metal, you will soon hear a beep sound, and then you can gradually look deeper into it. In the hands of a trained user, the detection of rare earth metals is possible.
This article basically focuses on the detection of rare earth metals. You need to have a clear vision of which metals you are searching for. You cannot use a normal metal detector for the detection of these metals.
Ultra-Portable Rare Earth Metal Exploration and Detection Strategies
There is a metal detector called DELTA Premium Handheld XRF-50, which is a very powerful metal detector. The electric current that passes through it to generate the magnetic field is very high that is 4 Watt.
This is a potent metal that can perform the activity of on-site detection of rare earth metals. This helps the scientists or activists involved in this field provide quick and real-time information on the detection of rare earth metals. This performs certain features as adapt sampling and on-the-spot mapping programs.
This metal detector has the power of a handheld detector system and performs all the same vital functions. These carry out certain tests to identify rare earth metals even in extreme environments. So, this can be said that these metal detectors are for multipurpose use.
The basic principle of detection is a function of the time required for testing: matrix sample and the presence of interfering elements.
With Silicon Drift Detector’s combination with a 4W optimized X-ray tube, this metal detector provides excellent prior performance. The speed should be detrimental. This metal detector is very superior in its design and overall makeup.
The DELTA Mining and Geochemistry Metal detector is one of the best in its range and is purposefully made for the process of Rare Earth Metal Hunting And Exploration.
Rapid detection of rare earth metals with LANScientific handheld or analyzer: The rare earth metals for Lanthanide, Scandium, and Yttrium differ in physical and Chemical properties. The rare earth metals are often known as ‘Industrial Vitamins’, which are essential materials for the industry.
This metal detector provides real-time detection and exploration and also will save your time as well. This metal detector is accompanied by a 50kv micro X-ray tube; this will help you accumulate La, Ce, Nd, Pr, Th, Y, and other rare-earth metals; it will also help you in the detection of rare earth metals.
This metal detector is costly but at the same time will give you ultimate results. Technological benefits accompany this; technology is upgraded from time to time to maintain a good connection with the user to better results.
With good technical assessment, this is one of the best metal detectors for the detection of rare earth metals. This is designed by the best experts and researchers and gives an excellent experience to the user.
You will surely not at all be disappointed with this product. There are various technical performance indicators associated with the product.
How Does A Metal Detector Detects The Metal You Are Searching For?
There is a certain technological advancement that helps a metal detector detects metals. These are based on sensors and electromagnetic induction. In simple words, we can say that it uses magnetic fields to find the location of metals.
This technology is becoming more and more advanced in the years to come. The improvement is basically made in the technology-based application and software development. Metal detectors for the detection of rare metals come in two probable forms:
- Walkthrough detectors
- Handheld detectors (Wand style) detectors
Since you are reading this article, you must be thinking about are the metal detectors that we are using portable or not? So, you very well know about your metal detecting activity. That the activity you are performing is very tedious. So, this is obvious for you to think about this question.
So, the answer is that both types of metal detectors you are using are portable. These metal detectors are overall made for this purpose and are hence very handy. Finding the rare earth metal is itself a very confusing and difficult task.
It’s just that you need to keep certain things in mind before you are choosing the right metal detector for doing the activity.
Also, you need to make sure that proper maintenance is done to ensure that your metal detector is functioning well. You need first to have geographic information on finding these rare earth metals since this is very important.
The rare earth metal detection requires a lot of skill, so you must go for this only when you are very experienced in this activity. There are lanthanides, a perfect rare metal that is important and the most liked rare earth metal to be detected.
There is a certain research team that is behind these earth metals detection strategies. They are also trying to develop and develop certain metal detectors that use the conceptual biological process to find earth metals. These bacteria help detect earth metals by binding to the site where these rare earth metals are present.
Final Talk
In this article, we have learned about all the 17 rare earth metals known today. At the end of this article, you will learn about all the things we have learned so far. The rare earth metals are tough to find, and hence this needs to be handled and looked after very carefully.
The rare earth metals constitute of Lanthanide Series, including Yttrium and Scandium. In total, 17 earth metals are known so far. These earth metals are not found in their original form; they are in a mixed state hidden in some of the other minerals.
Scandium and Yttrium are considered in the lists of rare earth metals because they also are formed and seen in the same deposits of ore as the metals in the Lanthanide series do. But the only difference can be seen in their electric and magnetic properties. The rare earth metals are hence detected by special kinds of metal detectors that have already been discussed.
Rare earth metals possess certain characteristics, which makes them different from known metals so far. So, you must choose the right metal detector for yourself.
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