Actually, earths are metallic oxides, and the corresponding metals were classified into the corresponding groups: rare earth metals and alkaline earth metals. An oxide is a chemical compound containing an oxygen atom and other elements. ... Hot metal work from a blacksmith In chemistry, a metal (Greek: Metallon) is an element that readily loses electrons to form positive ions (cations) and has metallic bonds between metal atoms. ... de;Metalle der Seltenen Erden Categories: Stub | Chemical element groups ... The alkaline earth metals are the series of elements in Group 2 (IUPAC style) of the periodic table: beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba) and radium (Ra) (not always considered due to its radioactivity and very short half-life). ...
The chemical term earths was historically applied to certain chemical substances, once thought to be elements, and this name was borrowed from one of the four classical elements of Plato.
"Earths" later turned out to be chemical compounds, albeit difficult to decompose, such as rare earths and alkaline earths.
In fact, earths are metallicoxides, and the corresponding metals were clasified into the corresponding groups: rare earthmetals and alkaline earthmetals.