Table 1.
Overview of REEs applications and end uses.
| Element (Symbol) * | Application and End Use | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Sc | aerospace framework/components, high-intensity street lamps/additive in metal-halide lamps and mercury vapor lamps, radioactive tracing agent in oil refineries. | [15,19,22,27,28] |
| Y | TV sets, cancer treatment drugs, enhances strength of alloys, lasers, high temperature superconductors, microwave filters, energy-efficient light bulbs, spark plugs, gas mantles | [15,19,22,27,29] |
| La | camera lenses, battery-electrodes, hydrogen storage, fluid catalysts for oil refineries | [15,20,22,27,28] |
| Ce | catalytic converters, colored glass, steel production, chemical oxidizing agent | [15,19,22,27,28] |
| Pr | magnets, welding goggles, lasers | [15,22,27,30,31,32] |
| Nd | permanent magnets, microphones, electric motors of hybrid automobiles, lasers | [15,19,22,27,30,31,32,33,34] |
| Pm | nuclear batteries | [15,22] |
| Sm | cancer treatment, nuclear reactor control rods, X-ray lasers, masers, magnets | [15,19,22,27] |
| Eu | color TV screens, fluorescent glass, genetic screening tests | [15,19,22,27,29,35,36,37] |
| Gd | shielding in nuclear reactors, nuclear marine propulsion, increases durability of alloys | [15,19,22,27,28] |
| Tb | TV sets, fuel cells, sonar systems, florescence lamps, lasers | [15,16,19,22,27,36] |
| Dy | commercial lighting, hard disk devices, transducers, magnets | [15,19,22,27,30,31,32,33,34] |
| Ho | lasers, glass coloring, high-strength magnets | [15,16,19,22] |
| Er | glass colorant, signal amplification for fiber optic cables, metallurgical uses | [15,16,19,22] |
| Tm | high efficiency lasers, portable X-ray machines, high temperature superconductor | [15,16,19,22] |
| Yb | improves stainless steel, lasers, ground monitoring devices | [15,16,19,22] |
| Lu | refining petroleum, LED light bulbs, integrated circuit manufacturing | [15,16,19,22] |
* REEs are listed in order of increasing atomic number.