where are the rare earth metals located on the periodic table
Rare-earth element A rare-earth element (REE) or rare-earth metal (REM), as defined by IUPAC, is one of a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides, as well as scandium and yttrium.[2] Scandium and yttrium are considered rare-earth elements because they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties. For the same set of mineralogical, chemical, physical (especially electron shell configuration), and related reasons, a broader definition of rare earth elements including the actinides is encountered in some cases. Thorium is a significant component of monazite and other important rare earth minerals, and uranium and decay products are found in others.[3] Both series of elements begin on the periodic table in group 3 under yttrium and scandium.
Periodic table As of 2016[update], the periodic table has 118 confirmed elements, from element 1 (hydrogen) to 118 (oganesson). Elements 113, 115, 117 and 118, the most recent discoveries, were officially confirmed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) in December 2015. Their proposed names, nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts) and oganesson (Og) respectively, were announced by the IUPAC in June 2016 and made official in November 2016.[8][9][10][11]