美国手握190万吨稀土，却哭着求中国发货！中国稀土卡脖子的真相

Core Insights - The article discusses the strategic importance of China's dominance in the rare earth industry, highlighting that the U.S. relies on Chinese imports despite having its own rare earth resources due to a lack of processing capabilities [1][3][11] Group 1: U.S. Dependence on Chinese Rare Earths - The U.S. has 1.9 million tons of rare earth reserves, accounting for 2% of global reserves, theoretically sufficient for self-sufficiency [3] - The actual dependence stems from the inability to efficiently convert rare earth resources into usable products, necessitating imports from China [4][9] Group 2: China's Competitive Advantages - China holds 80% of the world's known rare earth reserves and has a significant strategic advantage akin to that of Middle Eastern oil [3] - The country leads in extraction and refining technology, being the only nation capable of stable mass production of 6N-grade heavy rare earths, while others struggle with 4N-grade [6][8] - The cost of extracting one ton of rare earth in China is $8,000, compared to $28,000 in the U.S., making China's position more favorable [6][8] Group 3: Challenges for Other Countries - Other nations, including the U.S. and Japan, face significant hurdles in establishing independent rare earth production lines, often requiring imports of equipment and expertise from China [9][11] - Japan's attempts to develop deep-sea rare earth mining have stalled, illustrating the difficulties faced even by technologically advanced countries [9][11] Group 4: Strategic Implications - China's comprehensive control over the rare earth supply chain, including over 90% of processing tasks, creates a barrier for other countries to replace its role in the market [8][11] - The reliance on Chinese rare earths extends beyond the U.S. and Japan, affecting multiple countries globally and solidifying China's irreplaceable position in the strategic resource landscape [11]