China's Rare Earth Monopoly Is Diminishing

The constant concern regarding China has naturally induced the whole mining industry to pay serious attention.  This naturally leads quickly to an enlarged inventory of prospects and the revitalization of centuries of exploration discoveries.

By accident, China moved forward early on this sector and then invested heavily to maximize its share and created the necessary infrastructure.  So yes they have a great position.

The problem is that this can be replicated and replicated easily while new sources are been brought on stream.

Thus we are seeing the shift in the numbers begin.

China needs to make peace with every buyer in order to preserve market share.  The quicker the better as the industry is now assembling the capital to blow them away just as the De BEERS diamond monopoly was crushed and the original Nickel dominance was eliminated by huge rich new mines.

I am too long in the tooth to think a market monopoly in minerals has any chance except in the minds of the naive.
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 China's Rare Earth Monopoly Is Diminishing

by Tyler Durden
 
Tue, 06/11/2019 - 02:45



https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-09/chinas-rare-earth-monopoly-diminishing

Some while ago, precious rare earths important in the production of microchips, electronics and electric motors were almost exclusively sourced in China. However, as Statista's Katharina Buchholz points out, in recent years, several nations have picked up production again while new players entered the market, diversifying it at least to some degree.



Yet, China was still responsible for more than two thirds of global production, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. But as many countries are wary of depending on China, especially when it comes to technology products, countries with rare earth deposits are likely to exploit them further.


China also has the largest known deposits of rare earths, but Brazil, Vietnam and Russia also have a lot of (largely) untapped potential in the sector.

The United States, together with Australia, emerged as a major producer of rare earths after 2010. The country, which has produced rare earths before for military uses, got back into the market as rare earths were getting more important as a part of the implementation of crucial technologies.