Drilling rig for test drilling

Strategic metals are often combined with the rare earths in groups such as high-tech metals or technology metals. However, as the roots of the Institute of Rare Earths and Metals go back to the Rare Earths, we have two groups on offer. The name "Strategic Metals" comes from the field of politics and finance. "Strategic" because these elements are usually fundamentally important sources of revenue for the exporting countries. For the importing countries, which mostly deal with the processing of these metals, they are also of strategic importance. We think of high-tech weapon systems, automobiles, electronic goods, pharmaceutical and medical technology etc.

Strategic metals include:

Antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, indium, lithium, magnesium, mercury, molybdenum, niobium, selenium, rhenium, silicon, tantalum, tellurium, ilmenite, titanium, tungsten, zirconium, vanadium

The following list contains the most important metals and alloy components, no compounds:

• beryllium: Alloys, especially with copper and aluminum; Nuclear weapons (neutron reflector)
• Bismuth: Alloys
• cadmium: Component of accumulators
• Chromium: Alloy component (Chrome Vanadium Steel, Chrome Nickel Steel, Chrome Molybdenum Steel), plating metal
• gallium: Thermometer
• indium: Indium seal, solders
• iridium: Electrodes, spark plugs
• Potassium: alloyed with sodium as a coolant in nuclear reactors
• Cobalt: Magnets
• Magnesium: for particularly light workpieces; Disposable light bulbs or flash powder
• ManganesePhoto: Alloy component (manganese steel)
• molybdenum: Alloy component (molybdenum steel) to increase the heat resistance
• Sodium: Alloys with potassium as a coolant in nuclear reactors
• Osmium: earlier in light bulbs
• Palladium: Catalysis, hydrogen storage, jewelry
• platinum: Jewelry metal, catalysis, one of the most valuable metals
• mercury: Thermometers, compact fluorescent lamps
• Rhodium: Jewelry metal
• rutheniumCatalyst, increasing the hardness of platinum and palladium
• Tantalum: Capacitors
• Titan: for lightweight construction without regard to cost, jewelry
• uranium: Nuclear reactors, radioactivity, projectiles
• vanadium: Alloy component (chromium-vanadium steel) for heat-resistant steels, catalyst for the synthesis of sulfuric acid (vanadium (V) oxide)
• tungsten: Incandescent lamps (highest melting point of all metals), special steels, ballpoint pen refills (balls)
• Zirconium: Case for fuel rods in the nuclear power plant