Raw materials for decarbonisation : the potential for rare earth elements in the UK

The rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements that include the 15 lanthanides, spanning atomic numbers 57 (lanthanum) to 71 (lutetium), together with scandium and yttrium. The REE are commonly divided into two groups: (1) the light rare earth elements (LREE), which include scandium and the elements lanthanum through to europium; and (2) the heavy rare earth elements (HREE), which include yttrium and the elements gadolinium through to lutetium. As refined metals the REE are typically lustrous, dark grey to silvery in appearance.