As Trump talks up trade war with China, fears rise for rare earths supply

The MP Materials rare earth open-pit mine in Mountain Pass, California, the United States, on January 30, 2020 [Steve Marcus/Reuters]

Taipei, Taiwan – As United States President-elect Donald Trump gears up for a second trade war with China once he takes office on January 20, the rare earth minerals essential to the production of electronics, vehicles and weapons are one resource expected to be caught up in the fray.

While rare earths are plentiful across the earth’s surface – despite what their name suggests – China controls about 70 percent of their production and 90 percent of processing, according to estimates by the US Geological Survey and the International Energy Agency.