The Slowly Mounting Mineral Shock

View: Source China’s latest squeeze on mineral exports – and Washington’s threat of retaliation – ends any illusion that critical minerals are a niche matter. They are the scaffolding of modern society. A nearly bewildering array of minerals are essential for everything from defense technologies to EV dreams to the great race for “dominance” in artificial intelligence. Neither America, nor our allies, extract and refine enough key minerals. The United States depends on imports for most (in some cases all) key minerals including copper, …

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Auto companies sound alarm over China’s rare earth export clampdown

View: Source In this post: China tightened rare earth export restrictions last week, sparking fears of major supply chain disruptions across Europe’s automotive industry. European car manufacturers are particularly vulnerable since China produces 60% of the world’s rare earth materials. Industry leaders warn that backup stockpiles from earlier restrictions are nearly depleted and want urgent government action to resolve the crisis. …

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China’s rare earth exports fall sharply in September

View: Source China’s rare earth exports fell 31% in September from August, customs data showed on Monday, the third straight month of declines. New controls that were introduced by China last week have threatened a trade truce with Washington and the three months of declines are expected to raise questions about its agreements with Europe and the U.S. to ramp up exports after …

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China steps up control of rare-earth exports citing ‘national security’ concerns

View: Source Tightened grip on minerals used in smartphones and fighter jets coincides with tense US-China trade talks. China has increased restrictions on exports of rare earths and related technologies as Beijing tightened its grip on the products that are critical for use in smartphones and fighter jets. China’s commerce ministry announced the restrictions on Thursday, arguing damage had been caused …

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Brazil advances plans to process its rare earth reserves

View: Source Brazilian states are seeking to advance initiatives aimed at installing rare earth processing plants in an effort to unlock the country’s major potential in this strategic segment. The São Paulo state government, through the Institute of Technological Research (IPT), announced the launch and receipt of the first equipment for its first rare earth and critical mineral processing plant. “With adequate technology …

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A tale of two supply chains: Comparing Trump’s new copper tariffs and rare earth investments

View: Source The United States wants to secure its supply chains and revitalize domestic manufacturing, but when it comes to minerals, it’s still playing catch up—and not always with the right playbook. On August 1, the Trump administration launched sweeping new copper policies, including steep tariffs on semi-finished copper products and a domestic sales requirement. The announcement came just weeks after the US …

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US eyes Philippine rare earths to counter China’s ‘chokehold’

View: Source The Philippines may have been unwittingly supplying China with key ingredients for everything from smartphones to missiles, insiders say. When US officials met their Philippine counterparts in Kuala Lumpur this month to discuss critical minerals, few outside industry circles realised the quiet significance of the conversation: a new front in the global contest over resources essential to modern technology …

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Brazil’s Rare Earth Exports to China Triple, Highlighting Shift Away from U.S. Ties

View: Source Brazil’s exports of rare earth minerals to China shot up to $6.7 million in the first half of 2025, tripling the full-year total from 2024. Data from the China-Brazil Business Council shows that almost all of this growth went directly to China, not to the United States. These rare earths—key materials for high-tech devices and renewable energy—are now mostly fueling Chinese …

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EU hails progress on China’s rare earth curbs but insists trade be rebalanced

View: Source After a one-day summit in Beijing, the European Union insisted on the need to immediately rebalance trade relations with China. The European Union announced on Thursday a tentative agreement with China to alleviate restrictions the country had placed on critical exports of rare earths, which had caused alarm across the bloc and threatened to paralyse entire industries. The stringent …

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How China came to rule the world of rare earth elements

View: Source This is a satellite image collected on Nov. 13, 2012, of the Maoniuping Mine, one of China’s largest rare earth elements mines, located near Mianning, Sichuan province, China. DigitalGlobe/Maxar via Getty Images Deep in an underground, World War II-era vault on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany, investment manager Louis O’Connor guards his firm’s most valuable assets. The treasure inside? …

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