Developing disorder: China's step set to shake up supplies of rare earths

It has been known since at least 2010 that China has been seeking a monopoly on certain critical minerals, and that it would also be willing to use this monopoly for the purposes of economic coercion

China’s control of the supply chain for rare earth minerals, critical for multiple sectors from energy transition to aviation and defence, has long been known to be a global vulnerability. In response to the prohibitively high tariffs that United States President Donald Trump has placed on Chinese exports, leaders in Beijing have finally begun to deploy this long-feared economic weapon. They have restricted the exports of seven rare earths — out of a possible 17 that they list — unless the exporter possesses a proper licence for shipment. Most exporters have noted that the licensing system does not effectively exist