concept

rare earth elements

Also known as: rare earth, rare earths, rare earth minerals, rare earth metals, rare earth elements, REEs

Facts (19)

Sources

The U.S.-China Trade Relationship | Council on Foreign Relations cfr.org Council on Foreign Relations Oct 31, 2025 5 facts

claimRare earth minerals are used for magnets in most electric technologies.

claimAnalysts assert that China's control over rare earth minerals creates a 'chokehold' that increases global vulnerability to geopolitical tensions between the United States and China.

claimChina agreed to postpone its export controls on rare earth minerals for one year.

claimDonald Trump threatened a 100 percent overall import tax on Chinese goods in response to China's recent export restrictions on rare earth minerals.

measurementChina produces 60 percent of the world’s rare earths and processes almost 90 percent of rare earth magnets.

Geopolitics of the energy transition: between global challenges and ... geoprogress-edition.eu Simona Epasto · Geoprogress Edition Oct 26, 2025 3 facts

referenceShen Y., Moomy R., and Egger R.G. published a study titled 'China’s public policies toward rare earths, 1975–2018' in the journal Mineral Economics in 2020.

imageFigure 4, titled 'Major Transport Flows in Energy Transition', visualizes the interconnections between production regions and consumer markets for critical resources like lithium, rare earths, and hydrogen, highlighting strategic dependencies in global supply chains.

claimThe intensification of energy nationalism and strategic rivalries over critical raw materials, such as China’s dominance in rare earths and Arctic competition, could aggravate geopolitical fragmentation, according to Dodds and Woodward (2021) and Newell (2023).

Strategic Rivalry between United States and China swp-berlin.org SWP 2 facts

claimThe Chinese government has considered placing an export embargo on rare earths, which are materials crucial for high-tech manufacturing.

claimThe Chinese government considered placing an export embargo on rare earths, which are essential for high-tech manufacturing.

Refreshing global energy security policy and infrastructure for the ... global-solutions-initiative.org Global Solutions Initiative 2 facts

referenceThe term 'rare earths' refers to a group of 17 elements typically found in the same ore deposits, specifically cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, holmium, lanthanum, lutetium, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, terbium, thulium, ytterbium, and yttrium.

claimKey minerals essential for energy transition technologies include lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements (REEs), indium, tellurium, and silver.

New Research Introduces “Competitive Interdependence ... - LinkedIn linkedin.com Habib Al-Badawi, A. Darbaj · LinkedIn Sep 28, 2025 1 fact

procedureThe study 'Strategic Competition in an Interdependent World' utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of economic indicators with qualitative assessment of policy documents and institutional behaviors, covering the period from 2018 to 2025 across sectors including semiconductors, rare earth minerals, and agricultural products.

Tracking Trump's Trade Deals | Council on Foreign Relations cfr.org Inu Manak, Allison J. Smith · Council on Foreign Relations Mar 17, 2026 1 fact

claimIndonesia agreed to partner with U.S. companies on the development of its rare earth and critical minerals sectors.

U.S.-China Relations cfr.org Council on Foreign Relations 1 fact

accountIn March 2012, the United States, the European Union, and Japan filed a request for consultations with China at the World Trade Organization regarding China's restrictions on exporting rare earth metals.

Energy security redefined for a new global era - DIIS diis.dk DIIS Jun 17, 2025 1 fact

claimEnergy security currently affects all levels of society and requires a broader, more integrated policy approach, as evidenced by issues ranging from European Union diversification efforts and local solar initiatives to cyberattacks on grids and competition for rare earth minerals.

U.S.-China Relations Enter a New Phase of Strategic Rivalry thesciencesurvey.com The Science Survey Jul 6, 2025 1 fact

claimChina has restricted the export of rare earth minerals, which are crucial to advanced manufacturing and defense technologies, in response to U.S. tariffs.

Clean Energy Solutions Must Include Nuclear | ClearPath clearpath.org ClearPath 1 fact

claimWhile solar and wind energy are abundant and their technology costs have decreased, these variable renewable technologies face deployment challenges and supply security concerns regarding materials like cobalt and rare earth minerals.

The Evolution of Tariffs: The United States' Historical Implementation ... thefinplangroup.com The Financial Planning Group Oct 22, 2025 1 fact

claimThe United States government uses tariffs to protect industries deemed vital to national defense, such as rare earth metals, energy, and semiconductors, to encourage domestic production and self-sufficiency.