Australia Has Minerals and Miners, but Can It Loosen China’s Grip on Rare Earths?

Australia is joining the race to build a rare earth supply chain, aiming to challenge China’s dominance in strategic minerals.

Remote-controlled stackers and reclaimers move iron ore to railcars in Pilbara, Australia, on March 4, 2010. Amy Coopes/AFP/Getty Images

For years, Australia’s role in the global rare earths supply chain was to dig the ore and ship it to China for processing, but that is beginning to change.

As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tightens its grip on critical minerals called rare earths—essential for the production of technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and smartphones—securing supply in the West is becoming ever more important.