美稀土帝国崩塌记：曾供全球90%，中国70%加工卡喉，为什么扶不起

Group 1 - The core issue is that the United States is heavily reliant on rare earth elements, with over 70% of processing capacity controlled by China, a significant decline from the 90% it once held globally [1][11] - The U.S. has been negotiating with China for stable rare earth exports due to its own self-created dependency, highlighting a lack of awareness regarding the critical nature of these resources [3][10] - The demand for rare earth elements in the U.S. has increased across various industries, including high-tech sectors like semiconductors and military applications, making the situation more urgent [3][13] Group 2 - Historically, the U.S. had a dominant position in rare earth supply, providing 90% of global needs in the 1980s, but environmental concerns led to a decline in domestic production [5][8] - Environmental activism in the U.S. has resulted in the closure of domestic rare earth production facilities, pushing the country to rely on imports from China, which initially offered lower prices [8][10] - Since 2010, China has recognized the strategic importance of rare earths and has begun to control exports, leading to increased prices and a more stable supply chain [10][11] Group 3 - China's rare earth processing technology has advanced significantly, achieving over 90% efficiency in production while addressing environmental concerns, making it a leader in the field [11][13] - Major U.S. companies, such as Apple, are now dependent on importing over 200,000 tons of rare earth materials annually from China, indicating a critical supply chain vulnerability [13] - The U.S. faces significant challenges in catching up technologically and in production scale, with current capabilities lagging behind China's advancements [11][13]