Overview
- Chinese authorities have announced new export controls on rare earths that industry interprets as a near-term supply cutoff.
- More than 90 percent of global rare-earth production is tied to China, with an even larger share for heavy rare earths used in high-performance magnets.
- Manufacturers are buying up available inventories, and analysts warn that tighter rules expected from November could force production stoppages.
- The United States is moving to secure alternatives, with President Donald Trump signing a multibillion-dollar raw-materials deal with Australia and funding domestic supply chains.
- The European Union, which has a Critical Raw Materials Act, is working with industry on an emergency program, while separate Chinese curbs on certain chip exports have raised fresh risks for German carmakers.