Rare Earths Battle Looms as U.S. Aims to Counter China Export Threat
- China’s NDRC studying proposal to control rare earths exports
- U.S. Commerce Department warns of possible significant shocks
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The U.S. and China are heading for a stand-off over critical minerals used in everything from washing machines to military hardware.
The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday promised “unprecedented action” to ensure that the U.S. won’t be cut off from supplies rare earths, a group of 17 obscure but vital elements whose production is dominated by China. The Department’s release of a report outlining steps to ensure supply came hours after the Asian nation’s top state economic planning body said it’s studying proposals to establish export controls on the materials.