Group 1 - The exploration for alternatives to China's dominance in the rare earth supply chain by various Western media and think tanks has highlighted the challenges of finding viable substitutes [1] - The proposal to use Myanmar's rare earth resources is deemed impractical due to the lack of commercial-scale production capabilities and reliance on Chinese support for equipment and logistics [1] - Greenland's rare earth potential is also considered unrealistic, as the unique geographical and climatic conditions severely limit mining operations and increase costs, with experts suggesting it may take decades to develop [3] Group 2 - The Australian government has provided a loan of up to $1 billion to Iluka, an Australian mining company, to enhance its rare earth production capabilities [7] - Despite the financial support, there are concerns among Australian citizens regarding the project's competitiveness, as production costs in Australia are higher than in China, making it difficult to compete [10] - Previous analyses have indicated that Australia's lack of progress in becoming a major rare earth producer is largely due to China's strong market position and pricing power, which has led some companies to withdraw from Australian projects [10]