美媒《华盛顿邮报》11月29日刊文声称，中国在稀土领域的主导地位，在很大程度上是美国的官僚习气 所成就的，美国需要迅速采取行动，改革审批流程，尽快实现稀土自给自足。 文章作者是美国前参议员米特·罗姆尼的国安顾问梅格·赖斯（Meg Reiss），她也是专注于供应链风险管 理的科技公司SolidIntel的创始人兼首席执行官。 赖斯在文中指出，中国控制着全球90%以上的稀土加工产能，几十年来，中国在每一步都占据了主导地 位，而美国稀土生产商和政策制定者却玩忽职守。 "现在，中国正在充分展示其稀土实力，"文章写道，随着中方对美国国防系统必不可少的关键矿产实施 出口管制，其发出的信息十分明确：北京掌握着美国防务生产节奏的杠杆。 文章称，美国需要迅速行动，实现稀土自主化。然而，那些建立稀土加工能力的美国企业，却受制于繁 琐的国内法规，包括冗长的审批流程和司法审查。 作者随后脑补了印太地区可能发生的冲突，以此说明冗长的程序及其不确定性会导致美国在指挥和控制 方面出现漏洞。 文章称，虽然美国可以在国内开采部分矿产，但大多数需要送到中国进行加工，再买回来用于防务系 统。这意味着，一旦掌握供应链中游环节，就能左右美国重建、维修 ...

Core Insights - The global rush for rare earth mining resources is driven by the desire to establish a supply chain independent of China, but recent acquisitions show that China continues to dominate this sector [1][3][4] - Australia’s Peak Rare Earths failed to create a non-Chinese supply chain, highlighting the challenges faced by Western companies in breaking free from reliance on Chinese rare earths [3][5] - China's control over the rare earth supply chain is significant, with 91.62% of global production of rare earth permanent magnet materials coming from China as of 2025 [3][12] Industry Overview - Western countries, including the US, France, and Germany, are actively seeking key mineral deposits to establish rare earth production lines, but many promising sites have already been acquired by Chinese companies [4][5] - The acquisition of Peak by a Chinese rare earth giant signifies a strategic loss for Western nations, enhancing China's market power in the rare earth sector [5][11] - The Ngualla mine in Tanzania, discovered by Peak, contains high-quality rare earth deposits, but the project faced funding challenges and was ultimately acquired by Chinese interests [5][9] Market Dynamics - China's dominance in rare earths is not solely based on resource quantity; it also controls critical processing stages, making it difficult for other countries to compete [3][12] - The trade war initiated by the US has allowed China to leverage its rare earth resources, leading to increased export revenues despite stable export volumes [3][12] - The acquisition of Peak by a Chinese firm reflects a broader trend where Western companies struggle to secure funding and support for rare earth projects, while Chinese companies benefit from state backing [11][12] Strategic Implications - The failure of Peak to secure Western funding and support underscores the difficulties in establishing a self-sufficient rare earth supply chain outside of China [9][11] - The high acquisition premium paid by the Chinese company for Peak's shares indicates a strategic long-term vision, contrasting with the short-term profit focus of Western investors [12] - The ongoing acquisitions by Chinese firms in the rare earth sector suggest that the global landscape for these critical materials will remain heavily influenced by China for the foreseeable future [11][12]

美国在15种关键矿产（如稀土、镓、锗、电池级石墨等）上完全依赖中国进口。中国主导全球99%的重 稀土金属供应，且在精炼稀土的产能上占据90%以上的市场份额。美国唯一的稀土矿——位于加利福尼 亚的芒廷山口矿，其开采出来的矿石需要运输到中国进行加工，之后再回购成品。美国的稀土产业面临 的核心问题是：一方面缺乏独立开采能力，另一方面缺乏精炼技术，短期内难以摆脱对中国的依赖。 要想重建完整的稀土产业链（包括开采、加工和应用），预计需要至少2500亿美元的投入，同时还面临 三个主要障碍：美国的电力成本远高于中国，本土加工所需的能耗更大；美国的环保标准非常严格，许 多采矿项目容易因环保法规的限制而被搁置；此外，精炼技术目前被中国垄断，且专利壁垒较难突破。 美澳合作的局限性 2025年10月20日，特朗普与澳大利亚签署了一项价值85亿美元的关键矿产协议，声称"一年后稀土将多 到不知如何处理"。然而，这项合作存在明显的局限性：首先，澳大利亚的稀土产能在全球市场所占份 额非常小，与中国的差距巨大（中国在精炼稀土的产能占比超过90%），而且澳大利亚在稀土加工技术 上同样依赖中国；其次，专家指出，即使加速推进，澳大利亚在一年内也无 ...

Core Viewpoint - Russia is accelerating the development of its rare earth industry to overcome its long-standing issue of having abundant resources but lacking a complete industrial chain, recognizing that dependence on rare earths is not only an economic issue but also a matter of national sovereignty [1][3]. Group 1: Industry Development - Russia has initiated its largest-ever rare earth industry development plan, investing over 700 billion rubles (approximately 63 billion yuan) to establish a key metal deep processing cluster in Siberia [5]. - The project aims to control the entire industrial chain from mining to processing, with a focus on regions rich in rare earth deposits and access to cheap hydroelectric power [5][6]. - The first batch of five refining plants is expected to be operational by 2026, addressing logistical challenges and creating 3,500 jobs, which will help alleviate population loss in Siberia [8]. Group 2: Strategic Importance - The Russian government views the self-sufficiency in rare earths as crucial for national security, especially in light of Western export controls that have cut off access to essential mining equipment [5][11]. - The planned increase in annual rare earth production from 0.01 million tons in 2024 to 50,000 tons by 2030, with over 60% being high-purity oxides, aims to meet domestic military and high-end manufacturing needs [10][11]. - If successful, Russia could become the third-largest rare earth supplier globally, altering the existing supply landscape and providing more options for "global south" countries [11]. Group 3: Challenges and Responses - Russia faces significant challenges, including harsh mining conditions and high operational costs, compounded by technological barriers imposed by China [11]. - The government has allocated 60 billion rubles for research and development to improve refining purity and recovery rates, currently at 99.2% and 65% respectively [6][11]. - Collaboration with countries like Belarus and India is being pursued to overcome Western technological barriers [6].

Group 1 - The G7 and EU are planning to counter China's influence in the rare earth market by setting a price floor and imposing tariffs on certain Chinese rare earth exports [1][3] - A recent meeting in Chicago focused solely on achieving self-sufficiency in the rare earth sector, with Australia also participating [1] - The G7 aims to protect profits for its rare earth companies while creating trade barriers to mitigate China's price advantage [1][3] Group 2 - There is a lack of consensus within the G7 and EU regarding foreign investment regulations in the rare earth sector and whether to exclude Chinese rare earth quotas from public procurement [3][5] - China's exports of rare earth magnets to the EU increased by 21% in August, while exports to the US decreased by 5%, highlighting the complexities of the current situation [3][5] - The G7 and EU face significant challenges in establishing a mature rare earth supply chain and determining pricing strategies, given China's dominant control over 92% of global rare earth processing [3][5] Group 3 - The EU relies entirely on China for certain rare earth types, complicating efforts to create a "rare earth national team" due to institutional limitations [5] - Even if the West successfully builds a self-sufficient rare earth supply chain, pricing remains a critical hurdle, as setting a price floor could lead to higher costs compared to Chinese rare earths [5][7] - The envisioned self-sufficiency by the G7 and EU may result in a situation where they cannot compete internationally with China's rare earths, potentially leading to adverse economic consequences [7]

Group 1 - India's recent declaration to stop using Chinese rare earths within 14 days contrasts with Defense Minister Singh's visit to Qingdao for negotiations with China and Russia, highlighting a strategic urgency in India's rare earths situation [1][6] - The Indian government announced a plan worth 500 billion rupees (approximately 40 billion RMB) to boost rare earth self-sufficiency, despite having only 2,900 tons of production last year, which is less than 1.4% of China's output [1][7] - India's automotive industry is facing a crisis, with 76% of manufacturers at risk of halting production due to a shortage of neodymium-iron-boron magnets, as China holds 90% of global rare earth refining patents [3][6] Group 2 - India has unilaterally terminated a 13-year rare earth supply agreement with Japan, prioritizing domestic needs while putting Japanese automakers in a difficult position, as the suspended supply constituted one-third of Japan's annual production [3][6] - The visit to Qingdao was not just for a defense meeting but aimed at seeking special consultations with China and Russia, revealing India's vulnerabilities in border issues, military cooperation with Russia, and its stance in the Middle East [6][7] - The so-called "14-day gamble" appears to be a public relations stunt, as India's industrial capabilities and ambitions starkly contrast with its actual control over the entire rare earth supply chain [7]