17 Requirements for National Security
< < Go Back
This week we continue our conversation about strengthening US and Western resiliency.
Last Tuesday we covered uranium, the key input for nuclear power generation, which we buy primarily from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Today, we’re talking about rare earth elements…
Rare earth elements are a critical input to all kinds of products, including batteries, glass, specialty alloys, high-strength magnets, lasers… the list goes on.
You’ll find rare earth elements in your car (in your catalytic converter or your electric vehicle’s battery), your cell phone, medical equipment, nuclear reactors, and sophisticated military equipment, including missiles, planes, submarines, and radar systems.
Rare earths, which are far from rare, include 17 metallic elements. Of these, five are particularly critical to national security: yttrium, neodymium, europium, terbium, and dysprosium.
More From Maudlin Economics:
Rss Feed