Researching rare earth elements

Rare earth elements (REEs) are becoming increasingly important in electronic gadgets used in day-to-day life, yet the natural sources and sinks of REEs are largely understudied.

In the summer of 2025, a group of researchers from the University of Delaware co-led a research expedition to the Labrador Sea to quantify the amount of REEs that come out from the ocean bottom. The five-week-long expedition, the Sediment Exchange Along the Labrador Sea (SEALS), was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Other than UD, participants from 11 institutions were involved onboard the Research Vessel (R/V) Roger Revelle.

During their time in the Labrador Sea, located in the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland, the UD team sampled ocean bottom sediments, seawater and suspended particulates. They gathered critical water and sediment samples and led a series of educational activities for classrooms throughout the world as part of a ship-to-shore outreach program.