The Enigmatic Factors Driving the Technological Revolution Unnoticed by Society
Living surrounded by screens, electric motors, and invisible networks that support digital life, there is a group of elements that few know about and yet are essential. Rare earths, discreet but strategic, are redefining the economic, environmental, and geopolitical balance of the world.
What are rare earths really?
Far from being scarce, rare earths are 17—15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium—that share physical and chemical characteristics and are usually found mixed in complex deposits. It is not their abundance that complicates their use, but their natural dispersion, which requires expensive and polluting processes for extraction and refinement. Elements like neodymium, dysprosium, or yttrium are present in wind turbines, maglev trains, LED displays, defense systems, and electric motors. Just one F-35 aircraft carries more than 400 kilos of these materials, while a nuclear submarine can exceed 4,000. They are invisible but vital.
Extraction, pollution, and hegemonies
The biggest challenge is not finding rare earths but obtaining them. Most are extracted from minerals like bastnasite or monazite, and their processing involves the use of corrosive acids, complex separation of similar elements, and the handling of hazardous waste. This limits production to a few countries capable of assuming that environmental cost. China dominates the market with over 70% of the production and 90% of the refining. In regions like Bayan Obo, the ecological impacts are alarming, but control over the supply gives Beijing a first-order strategic power.
Spain, Ukraine, and the geopolitical game
In the face of China’s dominance, alternatives are emerging. Spain has identified a monazite deposit in Campo de Montiel with the potential for 2,000 tons per year. If developed, it could reduce European dependence on Chinese dominance. In the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, these elements also emerge as a hidden factor: Ukraine may host up to 5% of the world’s rare earth reserves, some already in occupied areas. In this context, metals become silent diplomatic weapons. Rare earths are much more than industrial resources: they embody a new type of power. They bring together innovation, sustainability, and conflict. Although they go unnoticed, their weight in the contemporary world continues to grow. And understanding them is the beginning of understanding the challenges of the 21st century.
