Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals is/are corr

Question

Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals is/are correct? 1. Modern technological innovations including AI, robotics and space exploration extensively utilise REEs. 2. China has the highest share in mining of REEs followed by India. 3. The Government of India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025. 4. Rare Earth Elements are a set of 13 metallic elements.

Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is correct — REEs are critical for AI hardware, robotics, space exploration, EVs, and defense. Statement 2 is incorrect — China dominates (~69%) but the second-largest producer is the United States (not India). Statement 3 is correct — NCMM was launched in January 2025 to secure domestic and global supply chains. Statement 4 is incorrect — REEs are a set of 17 metallic elements (15 lanthanides + scandium + yttrium), not 13.