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Are We On The Verge of Another Rare Earth Crisis?
Are We On The Verge of Another Rare Earth Crisis?
In 2010 a Chinese fishing trawler rammed a Japanese coast guard ship in a territorial dispute. The Japanese seized the boat's captain and two weeks later, China stopped shipping rare earths to Japan.
Prices soared when the world realized that approximately 90% of the mining, refining, and processing was controlled by China.
china rare earth
Rare earth elements (REE) and other specialty metals are critically needed by many major industries, especially in the U.S. defense sector.
Although used in small amounts, they give irreplaceable function to many weapons and defense systems used by our armed forces. REE supply has never been more firmly in the hands of China than it is today, with all legal Chinese production controlled by state-owned enterprises.
Neodymium, dysprosium, praseodymium, and terbium within high-strength permanent magnets are ubiquitously employed in all vehicle and airborne platforms — improving efficiency and lowering operational weight and size.
The guidance systems employed by missiles and smart bombs rely on the florescent properties imparted by terbium, europium, and yttrium oxides.
Display systems, optical systems, and night vision all rely on glass containing or prepared with REEs such as cerium and lanthanum. High-tensile-strength ceramics and next-generation armor plating apply to the properties of the REE’s yttrium, ytterbium, and scandium.
China’s attempt to consolidate its REE sector into six consolidated producers reignited fears of increased influence. Influence that makes America dependent on China for even America’s most advanced weaponry and defense systems.
One example is the F-35 fighter jet, the most technologically advanced weapons system in history.
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