{
  "id": 14719447,
  "title": "Can a Radioactive Ore Break China’s Grip on Rare Earths?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/can-a-radioactive-ore-break-chinas-grip-on-rare-earths",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-15T14:53:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IEEE Spectrum",
    "slug": "ieee-spectrum",
    "url": "https://spectrum.ieee.org/monazite-rare-earth"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The global race to break China's rare earth dominance is shaping up as a major geopolitical conflict. Roughly 90% of rare earth oxide and metal markets are controlled by Chinese firms. Rare earths are essential for a wide range of modern manufacturing, including semiconductors, LEDs, lasers, displays, metal alloys, optical lenses, catalysts, and permanent magnets. Permanent magnets made from rare earths are crucial for electric vehicles, heating and cooling systems, robots, appliances, and military equipment. China's monopoly on these elements poses a risk to global industrial competitiveness.\n\nThe traditional supply chain for rare earths is increasingly problematic, leading analysts to describe it as a \"mineral war.\" Many countries are scrambling to establish alternative supply chains, either independently or in collaboration. This endeavor is fraught with challenges due to the inherent instability and risks associated with the rare earths industry. Despite these difficulties, experts believe that monazite ore could offer a solution.\n\nMonazite contains large quantities of valuable rare earths, such as neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium. Jack Lifton, a veteran rare earths analyst, believes that monazite is the most important ore at the moment. However, monazite processing is complicated by its radioactive thorium and uranium content, necessitating stringent regulations and specialized techniques for handling, storage, and waste disposal.\n\nInvestments in monazite mines and processing technologies are rising. In the United States, Energy Fuels, a company operating a conventional uranium mill, has developed a process for extracting mixed oxides of neodymium and praseodymium, along with pilot-scale quantities of dysprosium and terbium oxides. Energy Fuels is processing monazite into rare-earth oxides at its White Mesa Mill in Utah, with plans to expand production. The company received a significant boost in June when the Trump administration granted a $725 million conditional loan commitment. Meanwhile, the Canadian government-backed project in Saskatchewan has faced delays and cost overruns, with production targets repeatedly missed.\n\nOther major monazite projects are planned across North America, including by Astron Limited, Hastings Technology Metals, Iluka Resources, Mkango Resources, Sovereign Metals, Steenkampskraal Holdings, and Tronox. Australia's Lynas Rare Earths, the largest rare earths company outside of China, is also expanding its monazite mining and processing operations at Mount Weld, Australia. However, despite these efforts, the establishment of a truly independent rare earth supply chain remains uncertain.",
  "summary": "The global campaigns to break China’s dominance of vital rare-earth markets are shaping up into one of the signature geostrategic struggles of the early 21st century. Hundreds of mining companies, government agencies, and industrial facilities scattered across North America, Australasia, and Europe are striving to wrest share from Chinese firms, which control roughly 90 percent of the markets for…",
  "key_points": [
    "China controls 90% of global rare earth markets.",
    "Monazite ore contains valuable rare earths but is radioactive.",
    "U.S. company Energy Fuels processes monazite into rare-earth oxides."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}