想撼动中国稀土主导权？澳大利亚信心满满，给美出了个“馊主意”

Core Viewpoint - Australia is signaling its intent to support the United States in the rare earth sector, challenging China's dominance in this field [1][3] Group 1: Australia's Position in Rare Earths - Australia has significant rare earth resources, with total reserves of 5.7 million tons, ranking fourth globally [3] - The country possesses advanced resources and technical capabilities to assist the U.S. in reducing its reliance on Chinese rare earths [3] - The Mount Weld project is seen as a potential alternative source for heavy rare earths, which could meet U.S. military needs [3] Group 2: Challenges and Limitations - Despite its resources, Australia produces only 5% of the global rare earth output, while China accounts for over 70% [5] - Australia's extraction technology lags behind China's, which utilizes advanced separation processes that enhance efficiency and purity [5] - The scale and automation of Australia's facilities are not comparable to China's modern production lines, posing risks to supply chain stability [5] Group 3: Time and Investment Factors - Establishing a reliable supply chain to replace Chinese rare earths could take at least ten years and require an investment of $30 billion [5] - The U.S. government plans to invest over $400 million in developing rare earth separation technologies under the Defense Production Act [5] - The current geopolitical landscape indicates that while Australia can play a supportive role, it is unlikely to significantly disrupt China's dominance in the rare earth market in the short term [5]