The race to free Chinese control over rare earths begins in the US
For decades, China has almost completely controlled the rare earths market – those essential materials used to produce chips, batteries, missiles, electric motors...
As of this writing,
China is responsible for about 60% of global mining, but the truly significant part is its control over 90% of processing – the critical stage where economic value is actually created.
Is China's control game over?
Quietly and at a coordinated pace, the US is building the capacity to reclaim its lost industrial sovereignty.
This is how the new American supply chain is beginning to look:
1️⃣ $MP – the cornerstone of the sector, operates one of the only mines in the US and is expanding its local processing capabilities.
2️⃣ $USAR and $IDR – are in early exploration stages, focusing efforts on discovering new deposits within the US.
3️⃣ $CRML and $TMRC – are moving towards an integrated mining and refining model, a step that could bring industrial core back to the country.
4️⃣ $AREC – an innovative approach: extracting rare earths from coal waste, utilizing existing resources to expand supply.
5️⃣ $UUUU – one of the only players already separating rare earths on a significant scale within the US.
6️⃣ $IPX – is developing advanced refining technology that could change the game and enable true industrial-scale production.
What was once an almost exclusive domain of China is now becoming a global strategic competition arena.
The road is still long...
But the first foundations for an American rare earths industry – independent, innovative, and technology-based – can already be seen.