Rare Earth Minerals in Smartphones and Computers — Passage and Quiz

Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 elements that are critical for modern technology, including smartphones, computers, and renewable energy systems. Despite their name, these minerals are not rare in the Earth’s crust, but they are difficult to extract and refine.

Some key rare earth minerals include neodymium, used in magnets for speakers and hard drives; lanthanum, used in camera lenses and batteries; and europium, used in smartphone screens. These minerals are essential for making devices smaller, faster, and more efficient.

However, mining rare earth minerals has environmental impacts, including habitat destruction and pollution. Recycling electronic waste is one way to reduce the demand for new mining and conserve these valuable resources.

Fun fact: A single smartphone contains about 0.034 grams of gold, 0.34 grams of silver, and 0.015 grams of rare earth minerals!