As the trade war continues to escalate, China has hit back at Trump by suspending exports of rare earth minerals.

Summary

China has now imposed export controls on a range of critical rare earth minerals and magnets, dealing a major blow to the US.

“Rare earths” are a group of 17 chemically similar elements that are crucial to the manufacture of many high-tech products. Everything you can switch on or off likely runs on rare earths.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that China accounts for about 61% of rare earth production and 92% of their processing.

A US Geological report notes that between 2020 and 2023, the US relied on China for 70% of its imports of all rare earth compounds and metals.

  • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
    181·
    3 days ago

    Not doing this would require not being an idiot, which is simply too much to ask of the USA lately.