Rare earths: The latest weapon in the US-China trade war

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AFP

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ID:

1559112628461248100

Wed, 2019-05-29 09:52

BEIJING: They are used in everything from lightbulbs to guided missiles, but with China controlling 95 percent of the world’s supply of rare earth metals, they are also a potentially powerful weapon in Beijing’s trade war with Washington.
Here are some key questions and answers on the prized elements.
The bedrock of electrical manufacturing, rare earths are 17 elements that serve as key components in devices ranging from hi-tech smartphones and cameras to flat-screen televisions and computers.