Rare Earth Materials: Properties and Applications

Bringing together information previously available only from disparate journal articles and databases, this book describes the unique characteristics and applications of 17 rare earth materials (REMs). It defines their chemical, electrical, thermal, and optical characteristics. Maintaining a focus on physical and chemical properties, the book addresses the history and critical issues pertaining to mining and processing of rare earth materials. Coverage includes extraction, recycling, refinement, visual inspection, identification of spectroscopic parameters, quality control, element separation, pricing control, and environmental / geo-political considerations.