Summary

China has now imposed export controls on a range of critical rare earth minerals and magnets, dealing a major blow to the US.

“Rare earths” are a group of 17 chemically similar elements that are crucial to the manufacture of many high-tech products. Everything you can switch on or off likely runs on rare earths.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that China accounts for about 61% of rare earth production and 92% of their processing.

A US Geological report notes that between 2020 and 2023, the US relied on China for 70% of its imports of all rare earth compounds and metals.

  • Flemmy@lemm.ee
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    3 days ago

    You mean by productively increasing global temperature so that the permafrost layer drops? At the cost of equatorial land combusting, drying out lakes?(Like Chad, Nevada) Followed by a ecological collapse of main food sources. Lowering demand for rare metal products. Wow simply wow.

    What’s the end game here, 1000 satellites to facilitate one person?

    • Magister@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      “Yes, the planet got destroyed. But for a beautiful moment in time we created a lot of value for shareholders.”

    • Cypher@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      They think farmland in higher latitudes will be more productive.

      Now you can think about why they want Canada so badly.