Can a Radioactive Ore Break China’s Grip on Rare Earths?
Rare-earth elements are critical infrastructure for global industries: semiconductors, LEDs, lasers, displays, and especially permanent magnets in electric motors for EVs, robots, and military applications. China controls roughly 90 percent of the rare-earth oxide and metal markets, creating a strategic vulnerability. Hundreds of companies, governments, and facilities across North America, Australasia, and Europe are now competing to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains, making rare-earth supply a defining geostrategic issue.
Key points
- Rare earths essential to semiconductors, LEDs, displays, and electric motors
- China controls ~90% of rare-earth oxide and metal markets
- Rare-earth magnets power EVs, military drones, and ballistic-missile submarines
- Supply chain diversification is becoming key geopolitical and industrial strategy
Summary and key points written by AI from the headline and a short excerpt, so they can be incomplete or wrong. IEEE Spectrum did the reporting; read the original for the full story.
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