Europium, the soft silvery-white metal bearing the name of an entire continent, stands as one of the most fascinating elements in the periodic table. Its journey from an unrecognized spectral anomaly to becoming an essential component in modern technology exemplifies the remarkable progress of chemistry and materials science over the past century. This rare earth element, distinguished by its extraordinary luminescent properties and unique chemical behavior among the lanthanides, has played a pivotal role in transforming our visual world—from the vivid reds of color television screens to the security features protecting our currency. The story of europium interweaves scientific discovery, industrial innovation, and geopolitical significance, making it far more than just another entry on the periodic table.

For more information, check out the light rare earth elements (LREEs) as a group, the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) as a group, and all rare earth elements (REEs). Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well. The complete history of all 17 rare earth elements can be found here.

Read about the use of rare earths in quantum computing here.

A History Of Europium

The discovery and development of europium spans over a century of scientific advancement, from its initial detection as mysterious spectral lines in the 1890s to its current applications in cutting-edge technologies. This chronology traces the element’s evolution from a scientific curiosity to an industrial necessity, highlighting the key discoveries, technological breakthroughs, and applications that have made europium indispensable in modern life.

Chronology

• 1839 – Carl Gustav Mosander isolates lanthanum and didymium (later separated into Praseodymium and Neodymium) from cerium, beginning the complex process of rare earth separation that would eventually lead to europium’s discovery [1]
• 1879 – Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovers samarium while working with didymium concentrates, unknowingly working with material that contains europium [2]
• 1886 – Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac extracts gadolinium from samarium samples that still contain traces of europium [1]
• 1890 – Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran obtains spectral lines from samarium-gadolinium concentrates that cannot be attributed to either element, providing the first evidence of europium [2, 3]
• 1892 – Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran identifies basic fractions from samarium-gadolinium concentrates with unexplained spectral lines, further indicating the presence of europium [4]
• 1896 – Eugène-Anatole Demarçay suspects that samples of samarium are contaminated with an unknown element, beginning his investigation of europium [4, 5, 6]
• 1901 – Eugène-Anatole Demarçay successfully isolates europium in reasonably pure form through painstaking crystallization of samarium magnesium nitrate and names it after the continent of Europe [1, 4, 6]
• 1938 – Scientists discover europium-152 isotope, which would later become important for nuclear applications [7]
• 1926 – Jacques Risler adds fluorescent coating inside mercury vapor lamps, laying groundwork for europium phosphor applications [14]
• 1934 – General Electric develops first commercially viable fluorescent lamps that would later incorporate europium phosphors [14]
• 1938 – General Electric introduces T12 and T8 fluorescent lamp models that would eventually use europium-based phosphors [14]
• 1949 – Prospectors searching for uranium in California’s Clark Mountain Range discover the Mountain Pass deposit containing bastnaesite ore rich in europium [8, 9]
• 1952 – Molybdenum Corporation of America begins rare earth production at Mountain Pass Mine, which would become a major source of europium [8, 9]
• 1953 – Mountain Pass Mine in California officially opens, initially producing minor amounts of europium and other rare earth oxides [16]
• 1954 – Frank Spedding receives unexpected gift of several pounds of europium oxide from Herbert Newby McCoy, demonstrating improved purification methods [4]
• Mid-1950s – Frank Spedding develops ion-exchange technology that revolutionizes europium and rare earth separation industry [4]
• 1958 – General Electric begins incorporating europium phosphors in fluorescent lamp production [14]
• 1960 – Chinese researchers begin developing zinc reduction alkalinity process for producing high-purity europium oxide [17]
• Early 1960s – Scientists discover that europium-doped yttrium orthovanadate produces brilliant red phosphor, revolutionizing color television technology [4]
• 1964 – Levine and Palilla introduce YVO4:Eu3+ as the first red-emitting rare-earth phosphor for use as a primary color in television [10]
• 1965 – Mountain Pass Mine production expands greatly to supply europium for color television screens as demand surges [8, 9]
• 1965-1995 – Mountain Pass Mine supplies the majority of worldwide rare-earth metals consumption, including europium [8]
• 1967 – Color television broadcasting begins in Europe using the PAL format, increasing demand for europium phosphors [11]
• 1970 – Europium shift reagents, particularly Eu(fod)3 and Eu(DPM)3, become popular in NMR spectroscopy for spectral analysis [18]
• 1971 – Scientists demonstrate europium chelates’ ability to distinguish between enantiomers in NMR spectroscopy [19]
• 1972 – Color television sets outsell black-and-white sets for the first time, driven by europium-based red phosphors [11]
• 1973 – Development of improved europium NMR shift reagents including tris-dicampholylmethanato chelates for enantiomeric purity determination [19]
• 1976 – Europium shift reagents widely adopted for pharmaceutical analysis and stereochemical studies [18]
• 1977 – P.A. Bokhan investigates laser transitions in europium atoms and ions, expanding europium’s applications in laser technology [13]
• 1979 – Research on europium anomalous deexcitation of Eu+ metastable states in gas discharge plasma advances understanding of europium behavior [13]
• 1980 – Philips develops first screw-in fluorescent bulbs with integral magnetic ballasts using europium-based phosphors [14]
• 1986 – V.M. Klimkin and colleagues study europium laser emission at multiple wavelengths including 1759 nm and 664.5 nm [13]
• 1990s – T-5 fluorescent lamps using europium phosphors are developed, providing 45% more efficiency than T-12 lamps [14]
• 1993 – Nemoto & Co. develops SrAl2O4:Eu:Dy phosphor material with superior brightness and glow persistence for commercial applications [10]
• 1995 – P.A. Bokhan and D.E. Zakrevsky investigate He-Eu+ laser systems excited by short pumping pulses [13]
• 2002 – Mountain Pass Mine closes after environmental issues and competition from Chinese suppliers, ending U.S. europium production [8]
• 2007 – Scientists discover that europium-151, previously thought stable, undergoes alpha decay with a half-life of 4.62 × 10^18 years [12]
• 2010 – Molycorp raises $400 million to reopen Mountain Pass Mine as China controls 97% of global europium production, raising supply chain concerns [8, 16]
• 2014-2016 – Europium prices drop significantly as LED technology replaces compact fluorescent lamps, reducing europium demand [16]
• 2015 – Molycorp files for bankruptcy, temporarily ending attempts to revive U.S. europium production [8]
• 2017 – MP Materials acquires Mountain Pass Mine out of bankruptcy, planning to restore American rare earth production including europium; researchers develop carbon footprint assessment methods for europium recycling from phosphor waste [8, 20]
• 2018 – MP Materials resumes mining operations at Mountain Pass, reestablishing U.S. europium production [8]
• 2019 – Scientists develop integrated process for recovering europium from cathode-ray tube phosphor waste with over 99% purity [21]
• 2020 – Mountain Pass Mine supplies 15.8% of global rare earth production, including europium; Europium oxide prices stabilize at approximately $30 per kilogram after years of volatility [8, 22]
• 2021 – Researchers advance supercritical fluid extraction technology for europium recovery from fluorescent lamp waste [23]
• 2022 – U.S. Department of Defense awards $35 million contract to MP Materials to build processing capabilities for heavy rare earth elements including europium [8]
• 2023 – Global europium market valued at $4.69 billion with projected growth to $12.24 billion by 2028 [24]
• 2024 – Scientists develop redox method to extract and recycle europium from compact fluorescent lamps with 90% purity [15]
• 2024 – ETH Zurich researchers develop process recovering europium from fluorescent lamps at 50 times higher efficiency than previous methods [25]

Final Thoughts

The history of europium reflects both the triumphs and challenges of modern materials science. From its patient isolation by Demarçay at the dawn of the 20th century to its critical role in the color television revolution and beyond, europium has consistently demonstrated how a single element can transform entire industries. Today, as nations grapple with securing stable supplies of critical minerals, europium’s story serves as a reminder of the strategic importance of rare earth elements in our technologically dependent world. Whether glowing red in our screens, protecting our currency from counterfeiting, or enabling next-generation lighting technologies, europium continues to illuminate our lives in ways both visible and invisible, proving that sometimes the rarest elements can have the most profound impacts on human civilization.

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] Europium Element Facts / Chemistry – https://www.chemistrylearner.com/europium.html

[2] Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul-%C3%89mile_Lecoq_de_Boisbaudran

[3] Paul-Émile (François) Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1838-1912) – the Important French chemist of the Second Half of the XIX Century and the First Decade of the XX Century – https://www.redalyc.org/journal/1816/181676110008/html/

[4] Europium – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europium

[5] It’s Elemental – The Element Europium – https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele063.html

[6] Europium | Uses, Properties, & Facts | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/science/europium

[7] Europium-152 – isotopic data and properties – https://www.chemlin.org/isotope/europium-152

[8] Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_Rare_Earth_Mine

[9] History | MP Materials – https://mpmaterials.com/history/

[10] Phosphor – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphor

[11] Television – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television

[13] Europium vapor laser. Atmos Ocean Opt – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S1024856017050153

[14] A Brief History of The Fluorescent Lamp – https://www.shineretrofits.com/knowledge-base/a-brief-history-of-the-fluorescent-lamp.html

[16] Producers Case Study | Science History Institute – https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/classroom-activities/role-playing-games/case-of-rare-earth-elements/producers/case-study/

[17] Europium – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics – https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/europium

[18] EuFOD – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EuFOD

[20] Carbon footprint assessment of recycling technologies for rare earth elements: A case study of recycling yttrium and europium from phosphor – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X16306031

[21] Integrated process for the recovery of yttrium and europium from CRT phosphor waste – RSC Advances – https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2019/ra/c8ra08158a

[22] Europium oxide price globally 2009-2030 | Statista – https://www.statista.com/statistics/450158/global-reo-europium-oxide-price-forecast/

[23] Urban mining of terbium, europium, and yttrium from real fluorescent lamp waste using supercritical fluid extraction – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X21006772

[24] Europium Market Size, Share, Scope, Trends, Opportunities & Forecast – https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/europium-market/

[25] New process pulls europium from e-waste – Metal Tech News – https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2024/07/17/tech-metals/new-process-pulls-europium-from-e-waste/1846.html