Set 4A — State Power, Critical Minerals & Rare Earth Elements

What are critical minerals?

Minerals that are essential to countries' economies or development.

Why are critical minerals important to countries?

They are generally in high demand and prone to supply chain disruptions.

Why do countries differ in which minerals they define as critical?

Their definitions depend on access, how the minerals are used, their export value, and national supply risks.

Which minerals are included on most countries' critical mineral lists, according to the slides?

Copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements.

How are critical minerals used in clean energy technologies?

They are used in wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicle (EV) batteries and motors, and energy transmission infrastructure such as power lines.

What additional minerals are important for the energy transition?

Aluminum, manganese, silicon, and silver, among others.

Are rare earth elements and critical minerals the same thing?

NO. Rare earth elements are special minerals that are part of the bigger group called critical minerals.

What are rare earth elements?

A group of 17 elements.

What examples of rare earth elements are listed in the slides?

Neodymium, promethium, and cerium.

Why are rare earth elements used in clean energy systems and advanced technologies?

They have important applications in clean energy systems and other advanced technologies.

Are rare earth elements necessarily rare?

No. They tend not to be rare, but they are often found in very low concentrations and intermingled with other minerals.

Why are rare earth elements difficult and sometimes uneconomical to extract?

They are often found in low concentrations and mixed with other minerals, making extraction difficult and costly; processing can also generate toxic waste.

What are the three stages shown in the rare earth and permanent magnet production process?

Mine the rock, separate the elements, and make the magnets.

What rare earth reserves does China have, according to the slides?

China is estimated to have 44 million tonnes of rare earth oxide equivalent in reserves, or 34% of the world total.

What share of world rare earth mine production did China account for in 2022?

70%.

What share of the world's neodymium and praseodymium refining did China account for, according to the slides?

89%. These are key metals for electric vehicle magnets.

How did China use rare earth exports during its 2010 territorial dispute with Japan?

China withheld rare earth exports to Japan during the dispute.

How did China explain later curbs on global rare earth exports?

Beijing said it was trying to curtail pollution and preserve resources.

What did China ban from export in 2023 regarding rare earths?

Technology used to extract and separate rare earths, as a further step toward protecting its dominance in strategic metals.

Why can China's rare earth dominance matter politically?

Rare earth supplies and processing can serve as a political bargaining chip because other countries depend on these materials and technologies.