China’s export curbs on rare-earth elements put multiple US industries at risk
Apr 05, 2025 06:37 AM IST
China accounted for 70% of US imports of rare-earth compounds and metals from 2020 to 2023, the USGS said.
China is imposing export controls on several rare-earth elements that have become a focal point in US President Donald Trump’s drive to strengthen America’s industrial supply chains.
China is immediately restricting global exports of a group of rare earths.(File/Reuters)
China is immediately restricting global exports of a group of rare earths, such as samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium, Beijing said Friday. The Asian nation is the world’s dominant supplier of many of these materials, accounting for almost 70% of the global production of rare earths, according to the US Geological Survey estimates.
China’s export controls are similar to last year’s restrictions on germanium and gallium, materials key for the defense and technology sectors. The expanded list is expected to have broad impacts on US companies since these rare earths are used in optical lasers, radar devices, high-powered magnets for wind turbines, jet engine coatings and the latest generations of communications technology.
Rare earths are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, though mineable concentrations are less common than most other minerals, according to the USGS. North America’s measured and indicated resources of rare earths were estimated to include 3.6 million tons in the US and more than 14 million tons in Canada.
China accounted for 70% of US imports of rare-earth compounds and metals from 2020 to 2023, the USGS said.
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