US Unfazed by China's Grip on Supplies of Rare Earth Materials

摘要

A top Energy Department official said Wednesday that Washington is not overly concerned that China's current control of global supplies of rare earth materials will curb the development of clean energy technologies in the US. Rare earth materials are critical elements in the manufacturing of many clean energy technologies, including wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles and energy-efficient lighting. China currently controls 97% of the world's supply of rare earth elements. Earlier this year, Beijing used rare earth metals as a trade weapon during a flare-up with Japan over the two countries' longstanding dispute over maritime boundaries. It slashed exports, prompting a near-panic in Japan's high-tech industry and also exposing the potential vulnerability of the US.