Neodymium. Sample of the rare earth metal Neodymium (Nd). The rare earth metals, or rare earth elements, are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. Neodymium is a soft silvery metallic element and is found in the minerals monazite, and bastnasite. It is used to dye glass and in alloy to produce powerful magnets.