Rare audiobook cover - The High-Stakes Race to Satisfy Our Need for the Scarcest Metals on Earth

Rare

The High-Stakes Race to Satisfy Our Need for the Scarcest Metals on Earth

Keith Veronese

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Categories:
Economics

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Rare
Nature and Extraction+
History and Discovery+
Modern Applications+
Nuclear Dynamics+
Lethal Toxicity+
Global Geopolitics+
The Space Frontier+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
Why are rare earth metals considered 'rare' despite being relatively common in the earth's crust?
  • A. They are only found in a few specific meteorite craters around the globe.
  • B. They exist in tiny concentrations and are extremely difficult and costly to separate from their surroundings.
  • C. They degrade rapidly when exposed to Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere.
  • D. They have been largely depleted due to over-mining during the industrial revolution.
Question 2 of 8
What chemical characteristic made the first discovered rare earth metal (yttrium) incredibly difficult to isolate for centuries?
  • A. It was highly radioactive and too dangerous to handle without modern equipment.
  • B. It was deeply embedded in diamond-hard volcanic rock.
  • C. It dissolved instantly upon contact with water, making extraction impossible.
  • D. It was bound up with oxygen atoms as an oxide, which required complex acid baths to separate.
Question 3 of 8
What crucial role do rare earth metals play in the operation of nuclear power plants?
  • A. They act as the primary, highly-combustible fuel source for the reactors.
  • B. They absorb neutrons to keep the nuclear reaction gradual and manageable.
  • C. They generate the extreme heat necessary to ignite the fission process.
  • D. They form the protective lead shielding around the reactor core.
Question 4 of 8
Why did thallium sulfate earn the nickname 'inheritance powder'?
  • A. It was historically passed down through generations of royalty as a symbol of immense wealth.
  • B. It was a highly sought-after fertilizer that guaranteed wealthy agricultural estates for heirs.
  • C. It was a discreet, hard-to-trace poison frequently used to kill wealthy relatives for their fortunes.
  • D. It was used by alchemists to forge ancient coins and steal family inheritances.
Question 5 of 8
According to the text, what gives China a significant geopolitical advantage regarding rare earth metals?
  • A. China holds the exclusive global patent on the chemical extraction process.
  • B. China possesses the vast majority of the planet's rare earth metal reserves.
  • C. China is the only nation to have successfully mined these metals from outer space.
  • D. China successfully engineered synthetic versions of the 17 rare earth elements.
Question 6 of 8
How might the discovery of rare earth metals impact the future of Afghanistan?
  • A. The wealth from these resources could help rebuild its economy and allow it to escape its history as a war zone.
  • B. They are causing new border disputes that threaten to ignite a broader conflict with India and Russia.
  • C. The toxic byproduct of mining them has rendered much of the country's agricultural land unusable.
  • D. They are exclusively being used by local factions to build advanced, untraceable weaponry.
Question 7 of 8
Why is the rare earth metal beryllium highly valued by the US Department of Defense?
  • A. It is the primary explosive component in modern portable anti-aircraft missiles.
  • B. It is used to create an incredibly dense armor plating for ground troops.
  • C. Its lightness makes it a superior alloy for optimizing the aerodynamics of fighter jets.
  • D. It provides an untraceable communication frequency for covert drone operations.
Question 8 of 8
What is the primary origin of rare earth metals in the universe?
  • A. They are produced by the rapid expansion of black holes.
  • B. They are formed by the collision of neutrons and atomic nuclei when stars die.
  • C. They are generated by the extreme atmospheric pressure within gas giants.
  • D. They are the result of dark matter interacting with high-frequency solar radiation.

Rare — Full Chapter Overview

Rare Summary & Overview

Rare (2015) sheds light on the common but elusive chemical elements beneath the earth’s surface – elements that play an increasingly important role in the development of modern technology. Get a better sense of what’s really driving the geopolitical struggles between the world’s superpowers, and what a group of rare earth metals has to do with the future of our energy sources, gadgets and military technology.

Who Should Listen to Rare?

  • Economists interested in the division of the world’s valuable mineral resources
  • Tech junkies curious about what their devices are made of
  • Concerned consumers who want to know more about what they buy

About the Author: Keith Veronese

Keith Veronese has written for Gawker Media and Alpha Brand Media. In 2011, he received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Alabama, in Birmingham. He is also the author of Plugged In: Comic Book Professionals Working in the Video Game Industry.

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