STEMFest — The Secret Lives of Rare Elements: Finding Critical Materials for Green Energy

Items we use every day are often made from materials that exist in scant amounts within the Earth. For example, gold is used in cell phones, GPS units and high-performance electronics, yet it’s found in such small amounts that a ton of rocks may only produce one gram of gold. Indium and rare earth elements — used in touch screens and other common technologies — are similarly scarce. As we develop low-carbon, green energy sources, humans will rely more and more on these rare elements.

Gold, indium and rare earth elements have “secret lives” within the earth that researchers know little about. Will we be able to find enough of these materials to support the shift to green energy? Or will our lack of knowledge about them lead to critical shortages? Unless we learn more, we risk developing low-carbon energy sources that would mitigate the effects of climate change but being unable to implement them in time to make a difference.