Rare Earth 101: Where are they?

Rare earths are not rare, being found in low concentrations throughout the earth’s crust, and in higher concentration in numerous minerals.

Rare earths can be found in a variety of minerals, but the most abundant rare earth elements are found primarily in bastnaesite (氟碳铈矿) and monazite(独居石).

Bastnaesite typically contains light rare earths and a small amount of the heavies, while monazite also contains mostly the light, but the fraction of the heavy rare earths is two to three times larger.

Bastnaesite deposits in China and the US make up the largest percentage of economic rare earth resources.

Monazite deposits, found in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the US make up the second largest segment.
Source: China’s Rare Earth Elements Industry: What Can the West Learn, by Cindy Hurst, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security