Many were the wars that were fought since ancient times for the control of a certain territory, of some transport route, or of some valuable mineral resource such as gold, silver, or oil, times have changed and to guarantee geopolitical dominance, the Great world powers have moved the war front to global markets, competing to gain control of a certain product, service or production sector.
However, there is a resource known as rare earths whose control has become a threat to national security for many countries today, would you like to know what rare earths are and why their control could represent a threat to world security? in this article together we can learn about such an interesting topic, stay with me!
¿What are the rare lands?
Rare earths are not a single element but are made up of a group of 17 chemical elements that, despite their name, are found abundantly in nature, however, it is extremely difficult to obtain them in their pure state without being mixed with other elements, this is what gives them that degree of rarity.
Any article that has an electronic component, such as mobile phones, computers, and even hybrid vehicles, weapons, or medical equipment, requires rare earths for their manufacture, which makes this set of elements a vital piece within the functioning of the current population, increasingly dependent on technology.
What are rare earths for?
As we have already mentioned, rare earths are used for the construction of almost all of any electronic element used in the world, thus, for example, ytterbium and terbium, have a high electrical conductivity, which allows them a greater storage capacity, is used to improve the performance of conductive cables, such as fiber optics or to generate radiation such as gamma rays.
Other elements such as europium are used to manufacture computer screens (it has a reddish luminescence), neodymium whose magnetic characteristics make it perfect for the production of powerful magnets or lanthanum used in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries.
Where are rare earths found?
Although Australia, India, Canada, Brazil, and Russia currently have large deposits of rare earths, 80% of the annual production of these elements is produced in China. This gives the eastern giant a clear advantage in controlling such important resources over the rest of its competitors.
It must be taken into account that the production of rare earths is a process not only quite expensive but also highly polluting, so its dominance is explained by its lax environmental and labor regulation, which allows it to extract more and at a lower cost, in Compared with its western rivals, in addition, the Chinese government from 1986 launched the National Plan for Research and Development of High Technology, which gave special emphasis on the development of the production and use of rare earths.
"The countries of the Middle East have the oil, we have the rare earths."
Deng Xiaoping, Chinese President.
A matter of global security
The fact that the Chinese government has a near-monopoly on the production of rare earths represents a very important security issue for humanity, not only because it ensures control of the elements necessary for the production of electronics, but because much of They are essential for the operation of most of the world's weapons and defense systems, such as anti-aircraft batteries, missile destruction systems, radars, etc.
That is why many countries have been interested in increasing their share of rare earth production. The US reached an agreement in 2019 with Australia, which owns one-sixth of the world's reserves, to locate a rare earth processing plant in that country. Likewise, the European Union is also trying to stop depending on the import of rare earths from China or other countries. The EU presented in 2020 a plan to stimulate its industry and become self-sufficient. As an alternative to obtaining rare earths, recycling products made with these elements have also been considered, but the high cost of the process makes it unfeasible.
China for its part is not far behind, making investments outside its territory such as the Kvanefjeld project in Greenland to build a facility, together with an Australian company. This island has one of the richest rare earth deposits in the world, which, incidentally, also piqued the interest of the United States, whose president, Donald Trump, tried to buy the territory without success in 2019.
Now I would like to read your opinion, did you know that rare earths are? Do you consider that they can be an important element in world geopolitics? What do you think about the incidence of rare earths in the economic war between China and the United States?
We keep reading!
