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The Rare Earth That Rewired Global Trade
Season 1
Episode 5
Published 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Description
Why did China dominate 90% of rare earth processing, and how did a single mining town in California—Mountain Pass—become the frontline of the trade war? Lucas and Luna trace the journey of a neodymium magnet from a Chinese smelter to a Tesla motor, and unpack the 2024 export controls that sent dysprosium prices up 40%. They examine the quiet strategy of Lynas Rare Earths in Australia, the Pentagon's $315 million grant to MP Materials, and why the WTO's dispute mechanism has been impotent here. Plus: what the Inflation Reduction Act's 'critical mineral' provisions mean for supply chains. This is the episode that explains why the minerals in your phone are now the currency of geopolitical leverage.