China's Export Controls on Rare Earths
Context:
China has announced new restrictions on the export of certain rare earth elements (REEs) and their related technologies.
This move comes ahead of a meeting between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
What are Rare earth elements?
They are a group of 17 vital materials used in a wide range of products, from electric vehicles (EVs) to military radar systems.
China holds a dominant position in the global market, accounting for nearly 70% of the world's rare earth mining and approximately 90% of global processing.
New Export Regulations:
The new regulations, announced by China's Ministry of Commerce, include:
A requirement for foreign companies to get special approval to export any items that contain even small amounts of rare earths sourced from China
The imposition of permitting requirements on the export of technologies related to rare earths that include mining, smelting, recycling, and magnet-making.
Five Newly Restricted Rare Earth Elements:
The newly added elements and their key applications are:
Holmium (Ho): It is used in semiconductors, magnets, laser surgery devices, and as control rods for nuclear reactors.
Erbium (Er): It is primarily used in fibre-optic communications and infrared technology. Erbium oxide is also used to produce infrared-absorbing glass.
Thulium (Tm): It is used in X-ray equipment, laser technology, and ceramics in microwaves. It is fluorescent under UV light, which makes it useful in combating counterfeiting.
Europium (Eu): It is the most reactive rare earth element. It's used in control rods for reactors and in glowing materials for applications like medical imaging.
Ytterbium (Yb): A volatile element that can be a radiation source in X-rays and has applications in nuclear medicine.