Progress of rare metal materials

As especial energy band structure, especially as the unfulled d, f electron band, rare metals are possessed of unique physical, chemical and mechanical properties. Rare metal materials play the very important role not only in the structural materials, but also in the functional materials. The progress and tendency of rare metal materials in the high technology fields, such as aerospace, nuclear energy and photoelectric IT etc. , and the current situation of rare metals industry in China, the proposals and countermeasures for developing Chinese rare metal materials are introduced briefly in the present paper.