The Pentagon has held talks with African rare earth suppliers

And not just African firms, Reuters reports:

• US Department of Defense has held talks with Malawi's Mkango Resources Ltd and other rare earth miners elsewhere
• part of a plan to find diversified reserves outside of China, a department official said

Background to this is China threatened to curb exports to the US

• China accounts for 80% of U.S. imports
• China is advanced in the ability to process the minerals

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Rare earths are a group of a group of 17 minerals

• used in both military equipment and high-tech consumer electronics