Despite US push, China poised to dominate rare earths for years

As China threatens to restrict the supply of rare earths, the United States and other countries that depend on the critical minerals are scrambling to diversify supply chains and achieve self-sufficiency.

But with even with sustained political will and billions of dollars in investment, breaking China’s dominance over rare earth supplies is likely to take at least a decade, if not longer, according to analysts and industry experts.

For countries to reduce their dependence on China, they will have to secure a complex set of supply chains that span mining, processing, metallisation and magnet manufacturing.

The self-sufficiency push faces challenges including high capital costs, gaps in technical expertise and environmental risks.

It also involves chasing a moving target due to the surgi