Micah McCartney is a Newsweek journalist in Taipei, Taiwan. It covers US-Chinese relations, security disorders of East Asia and Southeast Asia, and the links between the characteristics between China and Taiwan. You can touch Micah by sending an email to Mr. McCartney@newsweek. com.
Based on the facts, it was observed and verified first through the journalist, or informed and verified of competent sources.
The discovery of an enormous rare-earth deposit in southwestern China will strengthen the country’s stranglehold on this strategically vital resource and fuel its high-tech ambitions.
Newsweek communicated with the Geological Society of China and the United States Geological Service with requests for comment sent by email.
Uncommon earth elements (REEs) are for a variety of Top-Tech applications, electric cars, and smartphones with radar systems and guided missiles. China controls about 70% of global production from rare lands and more than 90% of refining capacity.
The U.S. imports nearly all its rare-earth elements, with China supplying 72 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Washington views Beijing’s dominance—and its willingness to ban exports of critical elements such as gallium amid the great tech war—as a critical threat to national security.
The high-volume reserve of rare earth elements found in the Honghe region of Yunnan province is expected to involve 470,000 tons of rare earth elements, China’s geological media said as it did last week.
The site is expected to become China’s largest deposit of medium-to-heavy REEs, which are relatively scarce. These elements are critical for EV, jet engine, and missile components due to their ability to retain magnetic properties at high temperatures.
Li Wei, researcher, China Geological Survey, told Daily Galaxy: “This adjusts everything. With more than 470,000 tons of rare lands, China is now even greater than the global source and responds to call Forarray”
Julie Klinger, associate professor of Geography and Sciences of the Area of the University of Delaware, told Newsweek: “The key consultation is whether the progression of this deposit is aligned with the largest methods of China by emphasizing the remedy to the remedy to the Price of the price of the elements of the infrequent land imported from another place, instead of the new extraction number one in socioecologically vital regions within its borders.
“Another consultation that I have is whether these rare land deposits and others explored are really intended for renewable technologies, security and clinical technologies, or for non -critical toys, fun. “
Professor Zhang Min, an expert in the foreign industry at the University of Beijing, told La Galaxy: “It is more than a mine. It is a strategic weapon. Who controls the rare land controls world technology. “
Wang Xueqiu, scientific leader of the Institute of Physical and Chemistry Exploration, the Academy of Geological Sciences of China, told video surveillance of the media: “Each new electric vehicle requires 0. 8 kilograms (1. 8 pounds) d ‘key elements of the infrequent lands of The infrequent land, which leads to an exceptionally high demand, which continues to grow a year.
The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has launched a working group tasked with drafting legislation to reduce U.S. reliance on China for critical minerals.
Update of 01/30/25, 2:20 p. m. Y: This article was updated with Julie Klinger’s comments.
Micah McCartney is a Newsweek reporter in Taipei, Taiwan. It covers U. S. -China relations, East and Southeast Asian security issues, and China-Taiwan trait-to-line ties. You can tap on Micah by emailing M. McCartney@newsweek . com.
Micah McCartney is a Newsweek reporter in Taipei, Taiwan. It covers U. S. -China relations, East and Southeast Asian security issues, and China-Taiwan trait-to-line ties. You can tap on Micah by emailing M. McCartney@newsweek . com.