Rare Earth Minerals in Smartphones and Computers — Passage
Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 elements that are critical for modern technology, including smartphones, computers, and renewable energy systems. Despite their name, these minerals are not rare in the Earth’s crust, but they are difficult to extract and refine.
Some key rare earth minerals include neodymium, used in magnets for speakers and hard drives; lanthanum, used in camera lenses and batteries; and europium, used in smartphone screens. These minerals are essential for making devices smaller, faster, and more efficient.
However, mining rare earth minerals has environmental impacts, including habitat destruction and pollution. Recycling electronic waste is one way to reduce the demand for new mining and conserve these valuable resources.
Fun fact: A single smartphone contains about 0.034 grams of gold, 0.34 grams of silver, and 0.015 grams of rare earth minerals!
What are rare earth minerals used for?
Food productionModern technology like smartphones and computersBuilding materialsClothingWhich rare earth mineral is used in magnets?
NeodymiumLanthanumEuropiumGoldWhat is one environmental impact of mining rare earth minerals?
Increased biodiversityHabitat destruction and pollutionImproved air qualityReduced carbon emissionsHow much gold is in a single smartphone?
0.034 grams0.34 grams0.015 grams1 gramWhat is one way to reduce the demand for mining rare earth minerals?
Increasing mining activitiesRecycling electronic wasteIgnoring the problemUsing more fossil fuelsWhich rare earth mineral is used in smartphone screens?
NeodymiumLanthanumEuropiumQuartzWhat is the fun fact about smartphones mentioned in the passage?
They contain no rare earth mineralsA single smartphone contains gold, silver, and rare earth mineralsThey are made entirely of plasticThey are not recyclableWhat is the primary challenge of extracting rare earth minerals?
They are too softThey are difficult to extract and refineThey are found only in spaceThey are not useful for technologyCommon core standards covered
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