稀土王牌失效？美国又想歪点子，年产量3.1万吨

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges and limitations faced by the United States in securing rare earth resources from Myanmar, highlighting the strategic importance of these materials and the dominance of China in the global rare earth market [1][3][11]. Group 1: U.S. Concerns and Strategies - The U.S. is reportedly anxious about its reliance on China for rare earth materials, particularly in military applications such as the F-35 fighter jet, which requires significant amounts of rare earth elements [3][7]. - Two proposals were made by the U.S. Vice President's office regarding Myanmar's rare earth resources: one involving negotiations with the Myanmar military government for exclusive mining rights in exchange for lifting sanctions, and another suggesting military support for local insurgents to secure mining rights [3][4]. - The U.S. is attempting to find alternative sources of rare earths due to the perceived threat of being "choked" by China's dominance in the market [3][7]. Group 2: Myanmar's Rare Earth Production - Myanmar's rare earth production reached 31,000 tons in 2020, making it the third-largest producer globally, following China and the U.S. [7]. - In 2024, China imported 44,000 tons of rare earths from Myanmar, accounting for 57% of its total imports, indicating Myanmar's significant role in the supply chain [7][10]. Group 3: Challenges in U.S. Efforts - The logistics of transporting rare earths from Myanmar are complicated, with high costs associated with air transport and the low-grade quality of the materials, which contain over 60% impurities [8][10]. - Japan has withdrawn its investments in Myanmar's rare earth sector due to inadequate infrastructure, raising questions about the feasibility of U.S. operations in the region [10]. - The U.S. has not engaged in rare earth processing since the 1990s, making it difficult to re-establish a competitive position in the market against China's advanced technology and established supply chain [10][11]. Group 4: China's Competitive Advantage - China maintains a significant technological edge in rare earth processing, achieving purities of up to 99.9999% compared to the U.S. facilities, which can only reach 99.5% [8][10]. - The article emphasizes that the U.S. attempts to bypass China in the rare earth sector are likely to fail due to the existing technological and cost barriers [10][11].