This Rare Earth is a graphic account of twenty-five years working for some of the largest mining and engineering companies in the world. Much of this work was conducted in conflict zones where Jeremy Gilmer supervised the construction of dams, mine tailings structures, and oil and gas facilities. Through personal stories and detailed observations, he brings to life the daily realities of those caught in the crossfire of progress— miners, villagers, and local leaders who grapple with the promises and perils of development.

Gilmer writes from a place rarely heard from in the debate: an industry linked not only to the environmental challenges we face as a species, but to the very systems our lives— and economy— depend on. This Rare Earth is an unsparing, thought-provoking, and frankly confessional dive into the unseen costs of our technological and industrial addictions.