Scientific and technological progress increasingly relies on the extensive use of rare earth elements (REEs), which form the basis of many advanced functional and structural materials, including super-magnetic, high-strength, heat-resistant, and lightweight alloys. REEs are widely applied across civilian and defense industries and, in controlled quantities, are also used in agriculture to enhance crop yields. The level of industrial and economic development of modern states is closely linked to the scale of REE consumption.

Neodymium (Nd), the second most abundant rare earth element, plays a particularly important role due to the properties of its key compounds. Neodymium oxide (Nd₂O₃) is used as a dielectric material with low thermal expansion in electrical equipment, neodymium fluoride (NdF₃) is essential for high-quality optical fiber production, and neodymium telluride (Nd₂Te₃) is an effective thermoelectric material that improves the mechanical and electrophysical characteristics of thermoelectric alloys. These applications highlight the strategic importance of neodymium and its compounds in modern high-technology industries.