POSTPONED to Fall 2024: Rare earth and other critical elements - their physics, resources, and geopolitics

Abstract: The rare earth elements, hidden at the bottom of the periodic table and long neglected, have risen to prominence at the end of the 20th century. Their unique electronic configuration form the basis for a variety of lasers, photonic applications, strong and exotic magnetism, defining many modern technologies. I will tell a story connecting from the basic science of the geology of Colorado and rare earth and other rare element mineralogy, to our technological and societal dependence and questions of strategic element security.