Beijing Weaponized Rare Earths—How the West Is RespondingBeijing Weaponized Rare Earths—How the West Is Responding
A view of the MP Materials rare earth open-pit mine in Mountain Pass, Calif., on Jan. 30, 2020. MP Materials acquired the site in July 2017 after its former owner went bankrupt. Steve Marcus/File Photo/Reuters
Premium Reports

Beijing Weaponized Rare Earths—How the West Is Responding

The United States has resumed its efforts to build its own domestic supply chain of rare earths after decades of struggles. Will it succeed this time?
Save
By Terri Wu
Updated:

At this year’s G7 summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held up a symbol of the West’s bid to gain supply chain independence from China: a rare earth magnet.

“It was manufactured in Estonia, by a Canadian company using raw materials sourced from Australia and supported by the EU’s Just Transition Fund,” the European Union chief told the other heads of state, including President Donald Trump, on June 15.
AD