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Read here what the US thinks of Rare Eraths


http://www.ndu.edu/icaf/industry/IS2004/2004%20Strategic%20Materials.doc

Spring 2004 Industry Study

Final Report Strategic Materials
The Industrial College of the Armed Forces National Defense University Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. 20319-5062

STRATEGIC MATERIALS 2004

ABSTRACT: Strategic materials are those materials and related technologies whose critical function or supply are essential to the economic competitiveness and security of the United States. Emerging materials and technologies are key enablers to military transformation and economic growth. The U.S. needs to continue to fund research and development and create an environment conducive to transitioning research to manufactured products. The Buy America policy needs to be reviewed and the waiver process streamlined. A virtual strategic stockpile needs to be created and rare earth elements considered for stockpiling. The government must vigorously enforce the intellectual property rights of U.S. companies.

New Materials and Technologies

New materials and technologies are those that have generally been introduced during the last few decades. While production methods and throughput have not yet reached the scale of established materials, new materials are increasingly challenging established materials for market share and contribution to defense requirements.

Rare Earths.

Rare Earth Element (REE) metals and compounds are produced through the mining and beneficiation of mineral resources containing the 15 lanthanide elements as well as yttrium, scandium, and thorium. REE metals possess superior magnetic, thermal, and electrical properties and their use is widespread across critical military weapon system applications. Substitution of alternate materials for REEs will nearly always result in significant system redesign and degradation in system performance. REEs have emerged as key enablers driving next generation performance in the electronics, communications, optics, catalyst, and petroleum refining industries. China accounted for 94% of the total global mining production in 2003 and provides most of the U.S. requirements in REEs. Production mining at the Mountain Pass, California, site - the only economically viable domestic source - was suspended in 2003 after years of costly environmental compliance setbacks. Despite its total recent dependence on material imports originating from China, the U.S. maintains a technically advanced but economically modest raw material refinement industry. Global REE resources are sufficient to sustain and fuel expected industry growth well into the 21st century. However, the U.S. must be sensitive to the national security risks associated with dependence on a single global, potentially non-friendly, supplier. Even with the expected resumption of operations at Mountain Pass, the U.S. will remain substantially dependent on Chinese neodymium, samarium, and yttrium for certain critical military applications.