Saturday, July 6, 2019

What Will The U.S. Defense Industry Do If China Cuts Off Rare Earth Supplies?

China is by far the world's largest exporter of rare earth minerals, producing more than 95 per cent of the chemical elements used worldwide, or 120,000 tonnes every year

Jeffery A. Green, Defense News: What will the US defense industry do when China cuts off rare earth supplies?

On June 17, Chinese state-controlled media again threatened disruption of rare earth supplies to the United States — this time targeting U.S. defense contractors. The astonishing threat noted that “military equipment firms in the United States will likely have their supply of Chinese rare earths restricted” and follows calls just weeks ago to shut off rare earth supplies to the United States.

The latest comments follow a meeting of China’s state economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC, which announced the study and formulation of new export controls to go into effect “as soon as possible.” These controls differ from previous embargo and boycott threats by singling out U.S. defense manufacturers, along with contractors that refuse to do business with Huawei.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Pentagon is starting to implementing this plan .... Pentagon Develops Plan To Cut U.S. Reliance On Chinese 'Rare Earth' Minerals (May 30, 2019).

8 comments:

AZuLike said...

Doesn't Afghanistan have a lot of rare earth minerals?

War News Updates Editor said...

AzuLike. The answer is yes. So does North Korea.

Bob Huntley said...


The issue isn't the availability of the RARE ore, but the processing of it.

https://www.quora.com/Where-else-can-the-United-States-buy-rare-earth-minerals-from-if-China-stops-selling-them

Anonymous said...

No kidding Bob, lower grade ore takes more energy and thus more cost to produce the end product.

Thank you Captain Obvious.

It has only been in the news for 5 or so years. Try to keep up.

Anonymous said...

I'll comment on the anti-Amnerican drooling , knuckledragger how I want.

This is a little different than his usual comments that America is a bad country. This (step 2) is you are going to lose no matter what. So step 3 would be you might as well give up to a nation like Russia or China.

If Huntley is not a government paid troll, but a normal run of the mill Liberal, then it is a distinction without difference.

This rare earth things has been going on for years. Most of us know it.

Molycorp -- sole U.S. rare earth producer -- files for bankruptcy

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-molycorp-rare-earth-bankruptcy-20150625-story.html

If you follow the latest news on AGW, windmills, Don Quixote, and unicorn farts, you know there has been a problem for at least 5 years, at least.

Fred that is you or someone writing with your almost imitable style. I would throw it back at you Grow the Fuck Up.

Dave Goldstein said...

The US government will override the Ca. government and re open Moly corp mine

Anonymous said...

The Fed gov't. may.

In the mean time the Californicators and leftwingers, arch-liberals, wingnuts will try to delay it in court.

Anonymous said...

Squirrel, if you're going to comment anon you have to quit being so obvious.