China's monopoly on rare earths may soon be broken - environment - 21 March 2012 - New Scientist

China's monopoly on rare earths may soon be broken - environment - 21 March 2012 - New Scientist: "It's a rare fight. The US, Europe and Japan have lodged a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization over China's export of rare earths – or lack of it.

China produces 95 per cent of the global supply of the 17 metals, which are used in technologies from cellphones to wind turbines, but it has set up quotas restricting exports.

Despite their name, rare earths can be mined on most continents, although the cost of extraction has been too high to be economical. China's quotas may have helped push up demand – and prices – enough to make extraction cost-effective."

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