Rare Earth Elements??? What?

[Rasputin_Vol]

I'm totally confused. Who's right, Wikipedia, my high school science teacher or CNN?

Why minerals dispute threatens electronics industry - CNN.com

What are rare earth minerals?

Rare earths are 17 minerals with magnetic and conductive properties that are used in most of today's electronic devices, including flat-screen televisions, smart phones, hybrid cars and weapons.

The minerals include cerium, neodymium, dysprosium, tungsten and molybdenum. Tungsten, for example, is used in electronics, automotive, aerospace and medical technologies. China produces 91% of the world's tungsten. Molybdenum is a metallic element used for filaments in light bulbs. China produces 36% of the world's molybdenum.

Rare earth element - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As defined by IUPAC, rare earth elements or rare earth metals are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium.

 

[MG1968]

you're actually surprised that CNN would get something wrong?

 

[VOLatile]

How often do you watch Fox News, Ras?

 

[TennTradition]

CNN got it wrong. China announced they were stopping the export of rare earth metals, tungsten, and molybdenum. Either intentionally for ease or unintentionally in error, CNN lumped tungsten and moly in with the other rare earths.

The rare earths are really just the 15, but commercially the other two named in the wiki article are thrown in.