neodymium
Let an agent identify neodymium and its properties, relay production, uses, isotopes and supply issues from reference sources, explain its role in magnets and the energy transition, and distinguish it from neighbouring lanthanides.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Identify What neodymium is.
Properties
Properties.
Properties
Properties.
- What are the physical and chemical properties of neodymium? definition
- Is the question about neodymium or a neighbouring lanthanide? boundary
Isotopes
Isotopes.
Isotopes
Isotopes.
- Which isotopes exist, and which are used in dating and research? definition
- Which entry fits the specific isotope? action
Source Supply.
Production
Mining and separation.
Production
Production.
- Where is neodymium mined and separated, and who produces it, with sources? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Policy
Critical material policy.
Policy
Policy.
- Why is neodymium listed as critical, and what policies address supply, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Use Uses and safety.
Magnets
Magnets.
Magnets
Magnets.
- How are neodymium magnets made and used in motors, turbines and electronics? provenance
- Which entry fits neodymium magnet? action
Other
Lasers, glass and safety.
Other
Other.
- How is neodymium used in lasers and glass, and what hazards do strong magnets present? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Context History and recycling.
Discovery
Discovery.
Discovery
Discovery.
- How was neodymium separated from didymium by Auer von Welsbach in 1885? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of the rare earths? action
Recycling
Recycling.
Recycling
Recycling.
- How are neodymium magnets recycled, and what progress has been made? provenance
- Which entry fits rare earth recycling? action
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.MAT
- Other names and narrower kinds
- neodymium-146, neodymium-124, neodymium-125, neodymium-126, neodymium-127, neodymium-128, neodymium-129, neodymium-130, neodymium-131, neodymium-132, neodymium-133, neodymium-133m1
What it is Filled
A chemical element with symbol Nd and atomic number 60, a soft, silvery lanthanide that tarnishes in air and is among the more abundant rare earths; neodymium is best known for neodymium-iron-boron magnets, the strongest permanent magnets, used in motors, wind turbines, hard drives and speakers, and is also used in lasers, glass colouring and catalysts, with seven natural isotopes including the long-lived neodymium-144.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent identify neodymium and its properties, relay production, uses, isotopes and supply issues from reference sources, explain its role in magnets and the energy transition, and distinguish it from neighbouring lanthanides.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Strongest permanent magnets
- Critical material status
- Laser and glass uses
- Coloured salts
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Handle neodymium powder or dust without the controls that prevent fire and inhalation.
- Misstate the origin of neodymium to hide sourcing from conflict areas or abusive mining.
- Dispose of rare earth processing waste in ways that contaminate land or water.
- Treat strong neodymium magnets as harmless toys near children.
Only with a human decision
- Sourcing decisions that depend on the labour and environmental record of a mine or refinery.
May
- Report neodymium's properties, sources and uses from reliable references.
- Track neodymium content in magnets and devices for recycling where it is authorized to manage them.
Moral aspects Filled
- Rare earth mining and refining leave toxic and sometimes radioactive waste near poor communities.
- Concentrated supply makes neodymium a lever in trade and political disputes.
Who is affected
- Mining and refinery communities
- Children who swallow loose magnets
- Recycling workers
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody owns the element; the holder of a mine, stock or product answers for that material.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q19569 - registry parent class
related
- lanthanide - in registry terms
- rare earth element - in general terms
- neodymium magnet - the main application
- praseodymium - element 59
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.neodymium
- Wikidata: Q1388 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1388)
- symbol: Nd
- CAS: 7440-00-8
Direct properties required Filled
- atomic number: 60 Z
- standard atomic weight: 144.242 u
- melting point: 1024 degrees C
- density: 7.01 g/cm3
Recognition required Filled
- Element 60, symbol Nd
- Lanthanide of strong magnets
- Praseodymium and promethium are the neighbouring lanthanides
- A silvery metal that develops an oxide layer in air; its salts are violet to pink.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- relay properties and isotopes
- explain production and uses
- relay supply and policy issues
- distinguish from other lanthanides
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Supply concentration and export restrictions
- Environmental impact of mining
- Strong magnet hazards such as pinching and pacemaker interference
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Critical raw material listings in the EU, US and elsewhere
- Rare earth export controls
- Chemical safety data sheets
- Magnet recycling rules under development
Context of use required Filled
- Permanent magnets, lasers, glass and catalysts.
- neodymium metal and alloys
- neodymium compounds such as the oxide and glass dopants
- isotopes from neodymium-124 to neodymium-161, with seven natural and Nd-144 and Nd-150 very weakly radioactive
- neodymium in magnets, lasers and catalysts
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q1388: neodymium - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Neodymium - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should neodymium magnet be the primary linked entry?
- How should supply data be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming isotopes; should they be split off?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1388/spec.json