The Global Battle For Rare Earths

_WHAT’S HAPPENING_

Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 metallic elements — like neodymium and dysprosium — used in essential technologies such as smartphones, electric vehicles, and military systems. And the Chinese Communist Party controls almost all of them.

This month demonstrated how China could weaponize its mineral wealth to hinder foreign economies, as it announced plans to limit its exports.