Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ongoing struggle between the United States and China over rare earth elements, highlighting the U.S. efforts to develop its own rare earth capabilities while facing challenges in breaking China's dominance in this strategic resource. Group 1: U.S. Efforts and Challenges - The U.S. is attempting to control global rare earth sources while negotiating with China, but has not achieved its goals after ten years of research and development [1][3][20] - A U.S. rare earth manufacturer claims it can make progress in one year, which could alleviate concerns for the Trump administration [5][32] - The U.S. military and industrial sectors are heavily reliant on rare earth elements, and the lack of domestic production poses significant challenges [20][22] Group 2: China's Dominance - China holds the largest rare earth reserves at 44 million tons and has a production capacity of up to 270,000 tons per year, making it the world's leading supplier [16][18] - China's rare earth processing technology has reached a purity level of 99.9%, and it has developed environmentally friendly extraction methods [18][30] - The U.S. has struggled to establish a competitive rare earth supply chain, relying heavily on imports from China [20][28] Group 3: Future Prospects - The U.S. government is actively supporting domestic rare earth projects and seeking international partnerships to build a non-China dependent supply chain [25][27][33] - Analysts suggest that while breakthroughs in rare earth technology are possible, achieving the same level as China will take several years and significant investment [30][35] - The U.S. rare earth companies acknowledge the challenges ahead but are determined to gradually advance their capabilities in the sector [32][38]
美企向中国稀土“宣战”,只要1年时间,就能缓解特朗普心腹大患