Japan, U.S., EU discuss rare earth supply security

If China pushes through this rare earths export limitations, it may lead to piracy ... for world prices will undoubtedly rise, as well as demand.

It's not like China is the only place you can get the minerals. It's just the cheapest. Partly because of raw wages, and partly because of abysmal safety standards. Both the US and Australia have plenty of supply. It just costs more to mine and process. The bigger issue is China can get punitive with this because they don't have a true free market.

If the US, Japan and EU decide to fire up some old mines to process materials they face issues with China flooding the market at inopportune times as a punitive measure. Though I think China's gripe isn't with the US, EU or Japan having the materials. It's with them selling it to Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Basically the low wage competitors of China.

Like Motytrah said the USA have all kinds of rarer earth. They want to keep their's till everyone runs out. then they will charge everyone an arm and a leg for some.,in the mean time they will blame China and everone else for a shortage. China can do what it wants with it's raw minerals it is in there land. If America complains then they can send urainium to IRAn and no one can complain

They want to keep their's till everyone runs out. then they will charge everyone an arm and a leg for some.,in the mean time they will blame China and everone else for a shortage

Actually, if you do some research, countries such as Canada, the US and other countries have up their own rare earths mining and processing plants. Problem is, China started selling at extremely low prices that other countries' mines have to close down. When China first announced that exports will be limited, plans have been made to re-open the mines and processing plants.

If we took over China by force we would have all the supplies that we would need.

If we took over China by force we would have all the supplies that we would need.

As JapanGirl mentioned, in fact to obtain the cheapest resources is through conquering and looting, the current and past imperiums excel at these practices. Just look at their overwhelming grips in the black gold sector!