Rare Earth Elements
Jump down to recent developments.
What are Rare Earth Elements?
Rare earth elements are a group of 17 metallic elements. Despite the name, many of them are relatively abundant in Earth’s crust, but they are rarely found in concentrated, easily mined deposits.
They are “rare” not because they are all extremely scarce, but because economically usable, concentrated deposits are uncommon and technically challenging to process. For example, cerium is about as common in the crust as copper, but it is dispersed among many minerals, which makes extraction and separation complex.
Differences in their electronic and magnetic properties give each element a distinct niche (for example, very strong permanent magnets, phosphors for lighting, and specialized optical uses).
The technologies that rely most on rare earth elements are high-efficiency permanent-magnet systems (especially in EVs and wind turbines), consumer electronics, advanced defense systems, and certain clean energy and medical devices.
What are rare earths and why are they so important? - Reuters
Recent Developments:
Fri, May 15, 2026:
US Needs Another Decade to Fix $1.2 Trillion Rare Earth Crisis - Bloomberg
Thurs, May 14, 2026:
Pentagon’s ‘Deal Team Six’ Aims to Challenge China’s Grip on Rare Earth Power - Bloomberg
Mon, March 30, 2026:
US bets billions of dollars on unproven groups in rare earths deals. Companies with financial ties to figures within Trump administration win big funding deals in push for crucial metals. - FT
Thurs, Feb 26, 2026:
America’s new era of state-sponsored mining. Desperate to break China’s grip on critical minerals, the Trump administration is splashing cash around the world.
The Economist is a champion of free markets. But in this case, as we argue in our leader, intervening in commodity markets makes sense. The trouble is that America is going about it in the wrong way. Its spending is wasteful and poorly targeted. There is a risk of cronyism, rent-seeking and corruption. And muting price signals will discourage innovation and conservation. - Economist
Wed, Feb 25, 2026:
Rare earth shortages worsen in US aerospace, chips despite trade truce - Reuters
Mon, Feb 2, 2026:
Crony Socialism and Rare Earths. Government stakes in companies is the wrong way to beat China. - WSJ Editorial Bd.
President Trump announces the launch of a strategic critical-minerals stockpile. - Bloomberg
(TrillionsWeekly: However, there is no federal investment behind it. It’s based on a $10 billion loan from the US Export-Import Bank (which many congressional Republicans have sought to defund) and $1.67 billion in private capital.
Thurs, Jan 15, 2026:
Lawmakers propose $2.5B agency to boost production of rare earths and other critical minerals. - AP
Wed, Dec 21, 2025:
Inside China’s Six-Decade Campaign to Dominate Rare Earths. From Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping, generations of Communist Party bosses and military leaders invested in a strategic but heavily polluting industry. - NYT