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Long buried in the center of the periodic table, rare earth metals now find themselves at the confluence of national security, industrial policy, and key sectors of the economy. China controls the market for rare earths—and is using them as bargaining chips in its trade war with the U.S.
The Trump administration is taking steps to establish its own rare earths supply chain, including the Department of Defense’s recent stake in a rare-earth materials company.
Joseph Polidoro is a Sarasota, Florida-based independent science writer. His work has appeared in Scientific American and Science News.
