rare minerals
Hard-to-find elements
Rare minerals are naturally occurring substances found in limited quantities in the Earth's crust.
The term covers both geologically scarce minerals and those difficult to extract economically.
Rare earth minerals, despite their name, aren't always rare in abundance but are rarely found in concentrated deposits: The phone contains rare minerals mined in central Africa.
Industries from electronics to jewelry depend on rare minerals, making their sourcing politically and environmentally fraught.
- tourmalineBoron silicate gemstone family
- aquamarineBlue-green beryl gemstone
- precious stonesRare, valued mineral specimens
- berylliumFourth periodic table element
- natural resourcesUseful substances from nature
mining operations · opal · lithium · tantalum · kimberlite · volcanic rock · alexandrite · gallium · painite · yttrium · tellurium · cobalt · hafnium · indium · scandium · lanthanides · tungsten · glittering
- collectiblesbaseball cards, commemorative stamps, mementos, collectibles, collectible
- natural history museumfossils, dinosaurs, specimens, taxidermy, gemstones
- natural treasuresgold, diamonds, pearls, gemstones, emeralds
- mining museumheadframe, mining equipment, pickaxe, miner's lamp, ore cart