The Rare Earth Monopoly: How One Nation Controls the Magnet of the Future

The Lead

Rare earths aren't actually rare, but refining them is an environmental nightmare. China chose to bear that cost and now controls 90% of the market. We analyze the 'Magnet Trap'—the fact that every wind turbine and F-35 fighter jet depends on Chinese-refined Neodymium and Dysprosium. We examine the CAPEX required for the West to build its own 'Green Refining' capacity and why it might take a decade to break the monopoly.