China's industry minister Xiao Yaqing spoke on Monday, intimating the country's rare earths may be
1. priced too low
2. being produced as too great volumes
From time-to-time China threatens to reduce/withhold supply of the minerals.
In a separate report, Former Pentagon advisor Jason Israel
- China has the vast amount of both rare earth processing capabilities and mining
- it can really chokehold rare earths
- an F-35 fighter jet in the US has about 400 kilograms of different rare earths inside so the fact that China holds those is very interesting
- "Australia has the sixth largest reserves so it's very interested in how it could become more of a player."
