How will we save our endangered elements?

An image showing the periodic table elements that are becoming increasingly scarce

Source: © SciComm Studios/Anna Tanczos

Elements we risk losing this century

Chemists have highlighted a number of elements we risk running out of. There is a serious threat we may lose some of them over the next 100 years. Some elements have limited availability and are increasingly used, including lithium, phosphorus, platinum, nickel, helium and indium. We rely on these elements for getting from place to place, for our health, our food supply, our energy and for communication.

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