The F-35 fighter jet contains over 900 pounds of rare earth elements.” This alarming statistic, cited by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, puts into relief the gamble behind the Pentagon’s latest action: a 15% equity stake in MP Materials,

With China supplying around 90% of the world's rare earths, the auto manucturers in the US have had to suffer due to the export disruption

America has a real shot at ending its dangerous reliance on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for rare earth

We cannot get any high-power magnets without China,” declared Ford CEO Jim Farley at a June 2025 event, a statement that encapsulates the urgency and vulnerability at the heart of America’s rare earths dilemma.

As rare earth supply chains are disrupted by tariffs and other trade barriers with China, e-waste recycling is growing as a solution to metals shortages.

Ford’s production hangs by a thread as rare earth magnet shortages force factory shutdowns.

Importing cheap Chinese rare earths comes with big risks. In April, in response to President Trump’s tariffs, China temporarily suspended almost all exports of seven kinds of rare-earth metals, as well as some of the very powerful magnets made from them.

India is accelerating its rare earth magnet manufacturing plans to support its growing EV sector. With Mahindra, Uno Minda, Vedanta and others showing interest, the government is planning Rs 25 billion in incentives and pushing for local sourcing to reduce reliance on China.

The U.S. government is now pouring real money into recycled electronics to cut its reliance on China, after the Pentagon grabbed a big equity stake in MP

In the arid expanse of Fort Worth, Texas, workers in protective gear labor over vats of molten metal, heated to a blistering 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, crafting rare-earth metalsa