GREY:NMKEF - Post by User
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Tcheckon Apr 17, 2020 7:58am
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importance of rare earths cant give control away
importance of rare earths cant give control awaySUPPLY CHAIN RISK. Malaysia is highlighting the world’s
dependence on China for rare earths. Kuala Lumpur will decide
within five days whether to allow Australian miner Lynas
to reopen a processing plant, Reuters reported on April
15. Lynas argues it operates in a “critical industry”, producing
products that are essential to the supply chains of key sectors
in partially locked-down Malaysia, including medical devices.
Rare earths are used in everything from smartphones and
electric vehicles to military equipment, and Lynas is the
world’s biggest producer of them outside of China, where
production is slowly getting back to normal. Yet China, which
accounts for roughly 80% of U.S. rare earth imports, has managed
to consolidate its position in a push to dominate high-tech
industries. Given Lynas’ strategic importance, and that China
could use its stranglehold on the industry as a weapon in the
trade war, the United States and others will be watching the
developments closely. (By Sharon Lam)
lithium will feed high-tech industries