China's dominance over rare earths: Western dependence exposed!

China's dominance over rare earths: Western dependence exposed!

The Western world's dependence on raw materials controlled by China is becoming worrying. In a letter to the editor, Manfred Bartel pointed out China's dominant position in the field of rare earths, magnesium, graphite and other rare metals. This dependence is not only an economic problem, but also a geopolitical risk, which is exacerbated by the own short-sightedness of Western industrialized nations. Bartel criticizes the fact that the low prices of Chinese products have pushed out many Western producers, which has led to a loss of sovereignty.

Today, two-thirds of all rare earths are produced in China, making the country a crucial player in the global market. In particular, the Baotou region in Inner Mongolia, which is considered the “capital of rare earths”, is of central importance for this. In Baotou there is a "rare earth road" and a monument to Deng Xiaoping, whose economic reforms in the 1980s laid the foundation for China's dominance in this sector. China controls over 70% of global rare earth mining and 90% processing. This control is worrying for countries like Germany, which imports two thirds of its rare earths from China, while its own reserves are severely limited by high environmental standards and bureaucratic hurdles.

Social and environmental impacts

Although rare earths are often present in the earth's crust, mining them is extremely complicated because they are usually combined with other metals or minerals. In China, this often happens using highly toxic acids, which leads to significant environmental damage. The problem is compounded by the fact that China is the EU's most important supplier of other raw materials and holds many patents on processing technologies. The impact of this dependence is far-reaching, and the G7 countries recently agreed to reduce dependence on China and develop their own supply chains for strategically important raw materials.

However, the development of new storage facilities and processing capacities outside of China will not be possible overnight. Experts estimate that building a processing plant can take between five and ten years, while operating mining sites often takes significantly longer.

Future perspectives and strategies

The political reaction in the West to the ongoing dependence on raw materials is perceived as inadequate. Bartel expresses his concern by denouncing the failures of Western economic policies that have allowed strategic industries to be ceded to non-free markets. While Donald Trump plans initial negotiations with Australia to secure supplies of rare earths, it remains to be seen whether these initiatives can be sufficient to overcome the current challenges.

In order to minimize the risk of further dependency, a comprehensive and coordinated strategy will be necessary that takes into account both innovative approaches to securing raw materials and environmentally friendly mining methods. Raising public awareness and political mobilization are crucial to sustainably strengthen Western industry.

Further information on this complex topic can be found in the reports from Swabian Post, daily news and Mirror.