This chart ranks the rare earth elements by their abundance in Earth's crust, in parts per million. Despite the name, most rare earths are surprisingly common, cerium is more abundant than copper.
About: Most Abundant Rare Earth Elements in Earth's Crust
Overview of the data behind this chartAI Insight
The 'rare earth' label is misleading. Cerium, the most abundant, occurs at 66.5 ppm in Earth's crust, making it more common than copper, tin or lead. Neodymium (41.5 ppm), the key ingredient in high-strength permanent magnets, and lanthanum (39 ppm) are also relatively plentiful, as is yttrium (33 ppm). A clear divide separates these four leaders from the rest: praseodymium drops to 9.2 ppm, and the heavier rare earths, samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium, erbium and ytterbium, fall between 3 and 7 ppm. The real challenge with rare earths is not scarcity but dispersion, they are thinly spread and rarely concentrated into economically minable ore. That is why supply chains, not geology, dominate their strategic importance in electronics, wind turbines and electric vehicles.
Key Findings
Auto-computed highlights from this datasetChart Controls Customize your visualization
Most Abundant Rare Earth Elements in Earth's Crust
Data Insights
Numbers, trends & sources behind this chartCategory Rankings
Crustal Abundance (ppm) · All Time| # | Category | All Time |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Cerium | 66.50 |
| 🥈 | Neodymium | 41.50 |
| 🥉 | Lanthanum | 39 |
| 4 | Yttrium | 33 |
| 5 | Praseodymium | 9.20 |
| 6 | Samarium | 7.05 |
| 7 | Gadolinium | 6.20 |
| 8 | Dysprosium | 5.20 |
| 9 | Erbium | 3.50 |
| 10 | Ytterbium | 3.20 |
What This Data Shows
Auto-generated trend summaries per categoryFull Data Table
10 records across 1 yearData Sources & References
All external sources cited in this datasetRelated Charts
Strongest Atlantic Hurricanes by Wind Speed Related Chart
Strongest Tropical Cyclones Worldwide by Wind Speed Related Chart
Snowiest Places in the World by Annual Snowfall Related Chart
🎨 Create Your Own Charts!
Transform your data into beautiful, interactive visualizations. No account required - start creating stunning charts in seconds!