New Arctic discovery could deal massive blow to Chinese dominance of rare earth minerals
A project heralded by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and accelerated by President Donald Trump stands to deal a huge blow to China’s dominance in the nanotechnology, energy and automotive sectors...
By Fox News · Fox News
A project heralded by Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy and accelerated by President Donald Trump stands to deal a huge blow to China’s dominance in the nanotechnology, energy and automotive sectors as the GraphiteOne project near Nome uncovered vast reserves -- for which Beijing previously accounted for 90% of production. As of 2024, the U.S. was at least 93% import-dependent on both rare earth elements (REEs) and graphite itself, according to the International Energy Agency, and the Graphite Creek deposit near Nome has already been dubbed the largest such tranche in the U.S. But, this week’s announcement that REEs were discovered in addition to the graphite lode portends a step-up that the U.S. can take against the CCP through Trump’s "American energy dominance" agenda, according to a source familiar with the situation. TRUMP CALLS XI’S RARE EARTH MOVE A ‘BAD MOMENT’ — WHY IT MATTERS FOR US NATIONAL SECURITY, CHINA TIES Batteries, renewable energy technology, fiberoptics, lights, magnets and consumer electronics like phones and tablets rely on REEs, which often places the U.S. at a manufacturing disadvantage – accentuated by China’s 2024 export limits on magnet-related REEs, according to PRNewswire. GraphiteOne President Anthony Huston said the Nome discovery is proof of a "truly generational deposit" at the Graphite Creek site. Some of the materials from the site will be shipped to an advanced graphite and battery anode material plant in Ohio. Huston confirmed the presence of two Defense Production Act-qualifying materials and said that given the "robust economics of our planned complete graphite materials supply chain, the presence of Rare Earths at Graphite Creek suggests that recovery as a by-product to our graphite production will maximize the value." TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WORKS TO BREAK CHINA’S RARE EARTH MINERAL STRANGLEHOLD ON AFRICA REEs found include neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium, along with ore rock containing garnet deposits. The site’s chie…