Defense equipment
Type of technology: Smart bomb
Rare earth(s) used: samarium
Rare earths are used for all kinds of defense purposes. "Smart" bombs are one of the main ones. Most are guided by magnets composed of cobalt and rare earth element samarium.
A 2004 report from the USGS defined other military uses of rare earth metals including magnets to power generators, rare earth phosphors to make display screens and rare earth-doped glass and plastics to make lasers used to site targets.
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Last updated October 28 2010: 9:11 AM ET
