A rare earth metal is a metal having a low ratio of rare earth metals to non-rare metals. This metal has been called a "space metal" because it is very rare and expensive. A rare earth metal has very high repel and attract properties, which make them attractive to use in applications requiring strong, durable magnets. Their unique properties have made them used in everything from medical applications to magnetic jewelry.

Strong-magnet strength is essential for use in applications requiring strong, durable magnets, such as electric motors. To get this strength, rare earths must be prepared at high temperatures, which makes them extremely valuable and hard to manufacture. Because they are difficult to produce, the high costs of these highly valuable materials make them expensive. This also makes them less accessible to the average user, as only the most experienced magnets and engineers have the knowledge and skills necessary to work with these materials.

The most common element on earth is iron. Boron and phosphorous make up other elements that are rare earth metals. These elements can be combined to create new alloys, but they are too valuable to be mass-produced. Instead, engineers and scientists work with combinations of these elements to create a diverse range of magnets, including magnetic generators, battery recharging devices, power generators, and electric vehicles. Boron and phosphorous are the basic building blocks of these rare earth materials.

An important property of rare earth metals is their great strength-to-weight ratios. They have the highest relative strength of any substance known, which allows them to attract and repel each other without much effort. The most powerful rare earth magnets are often used in applications where the strength of the magnetic field needs to be maximized, such as in the creation of battery recharging devices or the production of electric vehicles.

The rare earth industry association is not the only way to get your hands on these valuable materials. Another possibility is to contact individual manufacturer factories in China. While they may have agreements with the association and with one or two other companies, there is no guarantee that they have the raw materials you need. Some Chinese factories do not work with foreign companies at all, so it is unlikely that they would even know about a joint venture arrangement with an American company. Some Chinese factories simply source components from anywhere they can, regardless of whether that component comes from Europe, Asia, or the U.S.

It is possible to source rare earths directly from china through indirect means. For instance, many Chinese factories specialize in creating glass products, which contain more than 90% percent china. If they make glass veneer with other countries, such as those in South America, they may actually be violating international trade laws by passing on parts of their profit to their host country. Alternately, if they are making solar panels for export to Europe or the United States, they may be breaking the law by including certain components of solar panels that have come from China and not from South America, for example.

Regardless of how one obtains these rare earths, it is important to store these items properly to preserve them, because even the best precautions will not prevent breakage, or at least degradation over time. Since many rare earth elements are very heavy, storing them in metal containers with low acidity will be beneficial, especially if the magnets will be kept in place for some time. Many people choose to use a metal or wood magnetic vault, or similar container to store their rare earth magnets, which are then placed inside the container.