Can the US Reduce Its Dependence on China for Rare Earths?
The United States is pursuing a new strategy to challenge China’s dominance of the global rare earth refining industry, investing heavily in private American companies to develop domestic processing technologies rather than simply copying Chinese methods.
Audrey Robertson, assistant secretary at the US Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, outlined the strategy in an interview with Asia Times at the Financial Times Metals and Mining Summit in London.
Ms Robertson said American refiners would rely on domestic innovation to make the country self-sufficient in these strategically important minerals.
She acknowledged that although the US had developed intellectual property and technological expertise over the past two decades, it had failed to build large-scale facilities and establish the capacity to put those innovations into practice. Washington is now pursuing a strategy to ensure that innovations developed in the US are also implemented and scaled up domestically.
Ms Robertson pointed to the transformation of the American energy sector as an example. Around two decades ago, the US was the world’s largest importer of oil and natural gas. Instead of competing directly with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), it focused on domestic innovation and eventually became the world’s largest exporter of oil and gas.
She said the US was now bringing the same determination to the challenges of rare earth mining and processing.
Washington’s efforts have intensified in response to Beijing’s increasingly restrictive policies. China has long imposed controls on the overseas transfer of technology, equipment and skilled workers in the rare earth sector.
In December 2023, China banned the export of certain technologies used in rare earth processing and magnet production. In June this year, it reportedly halted supplies of dual-use goods to American companies, including MP Materials and USA Rare Earth. Last month, the Chinese government also tightened exit regulations to restrict experienced mineral specialists from travelling abroad.
In response, Washington has stepped up its investment.
In August 2025, the US Department of Defense allocated $10 million to the Elk Creek project in Nebraska. The project is expected to become the country’s first niobium mine by the end of 2029. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited the site on October 14, 2026.
On June 2 this year, the government also provided $134 million to the Colorado School of Mines and Phoenix Tailings to establish two demonstration facilities aimed at recovering rare earth elements from mining and industrial waste.
However, the sector faces a shortage of technical expertise and experienced professionals. To address the skills gap, the department launched a $100 million initiative called PROSPECT on August 7. The programme aims to double the number of graduates in mining and mineral-related fields within two years.
Technologically, China has spent four decades refining the traditional solvent extraction process. The method uses strong acids and chemicals, along with hundreds of mixing and settling tanks, to separate individual elements.
By contrast, emerging American refiners are focusing on two alternative technologies: continuous ion chromatography (CIC) and electrochemical separation.
The US abandoned chromatography in the 1950s because of its high costs. However, the growing geopolitical importance of rare earths has made the technology’s cost more acceptable, according to the report.
Source: Asia Times
