, Columnist
We All Need to Calm Down About Rare Earths
Worries about China’s monopoly over this suite of elements flare up every now and again. The truth is it’s a paper tiger.
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Once every decade or so, the world goes through a collective freak-out about rare earths.
The suite of 17 elements strung toward the bottom of the periodic table are notable in that they’re essential in several high-technology applications such as wind turbines, electric cars and lasers, and largely made in China.