What are rare earth minerals?
Rare Earths: Small Elements, Massive Impact
Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 elements essential to the modern world—powering everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to wind turbines and military systems. Though they exist in small quantities, their role in high-tech manufacturing, clean energy, and national security is enormous. At PJKT 72, we’re working to unlock domestic rare earths from unconventional sources like coal and waste—bringing smarter, cleaner extraction technologies to the U.S. supply chain..
Rare Earths: Abundant, But Hard to Reach
Rare earth elements aren’t actually rare—they’re relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust. What makes them “rare” is how difficult they are to extract and separate. These 17 critical elements are chemically similar, often found tightly bound in complex mineral structures, requiring energy-intensive and environmentally challenging processes to isolate.
At PJKT 72, we’re developing innovative ways to unlock rare earths from unconventional sources like coal and industrial waste—using advanced, energy-efficient plasma technology to help reduce costs, environmental impact, and U.S. reliance on foreign supply chains.