Tetrataenite26 Oct 2022 12:29
This is a word to bank in your memory: "Tetrataenite".
It is a rare metal found in some meteorites and can, apparently, be used as an alternative to rare earths. So this article caught my eye:
"The problem is, tetrataenite is tricky to find – it mostly shows up in meteorite samples, where it’s thought to have taken millions of years to form. Previous attempts to produce it artificially in the lab have shown some success, but the techniques aren’t scalable.
On closer inspection of meteorite samples of tetrataenite, the team found that phosphorus was in the mix, helping to speed up the arrangement of the iron and nickel atoms into the stack structure. So, they mixed iron, nickel and phosphorus together in specific quantities, and found that tetrataenite formed up to 15 orders of magnitude faster – essentially, in seconds."
https://newatlas.com/materials/cosmic-magnet-alternative-rare-earth-elements/
Fortunes are at stake in the rush to find and extract rare earths; a cheap alternative would kill that polluting industry.