Synonyms
Definition
The rare earth elements (REE), or lanthanides, comprise the 16 consecutive elements of the periodic table corresponding to the progressive filling of the 4f orbitals. They are metals with atomic numbers from 57 to 71 (La to Lu, family of lanthanides), plus the element yttrium (Y) (Table 1). Their abundance in rocks is less than 0.1 wt.%.
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References and Further Reading
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Pinti, D.L. (2015). Rare Earth Elements. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1348
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_1348
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