Instead, solar cells use a range of minor metals including silicon, indium, gallium, selenium, cadmium, and tellurium. While much of solar panels are made up of minerals you can easily call to mind — like aluminum, copper, and silicon — others you won't come across in your daily life. And, not all solar panels are the same. Your home solar panels might not have the exact same makeup as those on your local box. Photovoltaic (PV) technologies harness sunlight to generate electricity, relying on a range of critical minerals to enhance efficiency, durability, and performance. There are 17 REEs in the periodic table, comprising the lanthanide series. Meta description: Explore why rare metals like indium and tellurium are vital for solar panels, their supply chain risks, and emerging alternatives. Learn how the renewable energy sector is tackling material scarcity through innovation. This article investigates a new method for recovering Cu and Ag.