2026年2月3日，特朗普在华盛顿搞了个"关键矿产盟友伙伴俱乐部"的大型闭门会议，欧盟、英国、日 本、澳大利亚等30多个国家代表准时报到，按理说这是一场对中国关键资源使出组合拳的开局：计划对 中国锂、镍、稀土这些"新能源命脉"加征关税，并组建专属于西方的清洁供应链。 但就在所有人以为又是一套标准的"去中国化"剧本时，澳大利亚突然反水公开唱反调，让全场措手不 及。盟友尚未结盟，分歧就已经摆在台面上了。为什么澳大利亚要在这个节骨眼上"拆台"？西方合围中 国矿产优势的算盘，还打得响吗？ 白宫精心准备的"矿产同盟计划"其实并不复杂，核心可以归结为三个字：控、卡、限。第一招，美国打 算在自己主导的"关键矿产俱乐部"内部搞一个零关税的封闭市场，让盟友之间自由买卖稀有矿产，避开 中国的产业优势。 第二招是设一个统一的"矿产底价"——意思是全球卖锂卖钴的至少要在这个价格以上交易，这样西方矿 业的投资更容易回本，维持利润空间。第三招则带有点技术门槛意味，用所谓"环保标准""劳工保护"等 非关税手段，把"不够绿"的产品拒之门外，以此钳制中国的全球竞争力。 这一套从面上看有模有样，确实对着中国供应链来的。毕竟中国如今控制着全球六成 ...

Core Insights - In April 2025, China implemented export controls on seven categories of medium and heavy rare earths, which initially raised concerns about the U.S. supply chain for rare earths, as 90% of refined rare earths in the U.S. come from China. However, three months later, U.S. companies like Lockheed Martin continued production of F-35s and Tesla maintained operations, indicating that smuggling may be occurring despite a 72% drop in Chinese exports [1][3]. Group 1 - The initial customs inspections of large containers yielded no results, but irregularities were discovered in cross-border express shipments labeled as "ceramic parts," which contained epoxy-encapsulated rare earth particles. This led to the uncovering of a smuggling network spanning China, Vietnam, and Mexico [3]. - The smuggling operations involved shipping "protein powder" to Vietnam, where it was mixed with clay and pressed into "ceramic tiles" for transport to Mexico. The extracted materials were then sent to U.S. military contractors as "scrap metal" [3]. - An anonymous tip from a U.S. molybdenum mining company revealed detailed information about the smuggling operations, including warehouses, contacts, and the flow of goods. The company reported that the smuggling of rare earths was undercutting its orders by 40% and causing issues with the purity of materials used in missile tests, prompting the report to protect the industry [3]. Group 2 - In August 2025, a joint law enforcement operation between China, Vietnam, and Mexico dismantled the smuggling network and intercepted shipments, revealing vulnerabilities in the U.S. "diversified supply chain." High-purity dysprosium and samarium are now primarily produced by China, leading to production cuts at Raytheon and Tesla [5]. - The molybdenum mining company that reported the smuggling has since signed long-term contracts with compliant companies, highlighting the importance of adhering to regulations for business sustainability [5]. - The situation illustrates a paradox where U.S. companies, in an effort to protect their interests, inadvertently assisted in closing off smuggling routes, reinforcing the notion that compliance with regulations is essential for survival in the industry [5].