有救了？中方限制稀土后，欧盟找到“新矿”，不在欧洲也不在亚洲

Group 1 - China's export control on rare earth elements has significantly impacted the EU's high-tech industries, particularly in electric vehicles and renewable energy sectors, with 92% of the EU's rare earth permanent magnets relying on imports from China [2][11] - The EU's attempt to impose high tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles led to a retaliatory reduction of 80% in China's rare earth export quotas, which has severely affected European automotive manufacturers [9][7] - The EU's dependency on China for rare earth elements has been highlighted as a critical vulnerability, especially as the EU faces rising industrial electricity costs and a lack of alternative sources [4][11] Group 2 - The EU has proposed a plan for lunar mining to alleviate its resource dependency, aiming to extract rare earth elements and helium-3 from the moon, which has sparked skepticism from the international community [13][15] - The timeline for the EU's lunar mining initiative includes launching a lunar probe by 2030 and establishing a small lunar base by 2040, which is a significant acceleration from previous deep space exploration plans [19] - However, the technical, economic, and legal challenges of lunar mining are substantial, with current costs for lunar mining projected to be significantly higher than terrestrial mining [21][23][25] Group 3 - The lunar mining initiative reflects a broader geopolitical struggle for resource control, with the US seeking to influence the rules of space resource utilization through the Artemis Accords, while Russia and China oppose the privatization of lunar resources [29][31] - China's strategy includes strengthening its rare earth processing capabilities and expanding its presence in the European renewable energy market, which undermines the effectiveness of EU trade protection measures [31][33] - The EU's reliance on lunar mining as a solution to its immediate resource crisis indicates a strategic anxiety, as the demand for rare earth elements is expected to triple in the next five years, with no viable alternative supply chains established by 2030 [33]