Americas

The Guardian view on rare earths: it’s commonsense to secure essential supply chains | Editorial

Outsourcing the industry to China cannot continue, but Europe knows it can no longer count on the US for a solution

This story summarizes reporting from The Guardian. Read the original for full context. Wire items stay in our news sitemap for seven days. Editorial policy.

Read full story on The Guardian →

Editorial30 Aug 2026, 04:30 pmUpdated 17h ago2 min readAmericasUnited States

United States — Editorial

The Guardian view on rare earths: it’s common sense to secure essential supply chains | Editorial

Outsourcing the industry to China cannot continue, but Europe knows it can no longer count on the US for a solution

The alarm sounded 16 years ago. In 2010, China blocked exports of key rare earths to Japan in a row over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The critical minerals are essential to everything from advanced weaponry and iPhones to electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines, so the rest of the world took note. But it didn’t take much action. China still accounts for about 70% of rare-earth mining globally and 90% of separation and processing.

Then, last year, Beijing forced Donald Trump to back away from his trade war – not with its retaliatory tariffs, but the curbing of rare-earth exports. A scramble for new supplies began in earnest. The year-long trade truce is due to expire in November. The price of erbium, an element essential to communications infrastructure, has already jumped because of fears that export controls will soon be renewed.

The alarm sounded 16 years ago. In 2010, China blocked exports of key rare earths to Japan in a row over disputed islands in the East China Sea. The critical minerals are essential to everything from advanced weaponry and iPhones to electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines, so the rest of the world took note. But it didn’t take much action. China still accounts for about 70% of rare-earth mining globally and 90% of separation and processing.

This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →

Source: The Guardian · Editorial. Published 30 Aug 2026, 04:30 pm.

Next news → House Democrat to launch challenge to Trum…Browse more stories

Keep reading

Most relevant

House Democrat to launch challenge to Trump’s ‘Lake America’ order – US politics live

Debbie Dingell plans to introduce her ‘Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act’ today following president’s latest escalation in US-Canada trade war

Read on theguardian.com →

Editor’s choice

US man says ‘hold tight’ to loved ones after wife and toddler killed by lightning

Kameron Glasgow of Florida honors wife Kenya and daughter Kennedi at local vigil after last week’s tragedy

Read on theguardian.com →

Also developing

Space junk punched a new hole in the moon. It’s not ours to abuse | Moriba Jah

The space industry treats the sky as a place to dump what it no longer wants. We must develop a new model of accountability

Read on The Guardian →

Back to the desk

info@ebenezerdigital.com +91 98944 96560 WhatsApp