U.S. Remains Dependent on China for Rare Earth Elements

摘要

The U.S. military is almost completely dependent on China for the rare earth elements that go into everything from batteries to precision-guided bombs, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. U.S. materials manufacturers recognize the Chinese near-monop oly as a national security issue and are encouraging a debate over how to regain the nation's ability to cre ate these valuable substances, said Vijendra Sahi, vice president of government affairs for Palo Alto, Calif.-based Nanosys.