China’s recent decision to ban the export of rare earth processing technology marks a significant shift in the global rare earths market. This move, aimed at protecting China’s dominance in the strategic metals sector, encompasses technology for extracting and separating rare earths, as well as the production technology for rare earth metals, alloys, and some magnets. The ban has major implications for industries reliant on these materials, such as electronics, clean energy, and defense.In response to this development, experts from the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) have shared their insights. Melissa “Mel” Sanderson, a director at CMI, characterizes China’s move as predictable and in line with their stated intentions. She stresses the importance of the United States responding proactively, emphasizing the need to advance initiatives in greener, cleaner spaces like bio-extraction, and to invest in conventional technologies. Sanderson warns of the risks of over-reliance on nations like Australia, which have their own market priorities and limitations. QUOTE The break between China and the US over rare earths has just ignited a race to domestic supply in the US IMO
