 "An F-35C, assigned to the 'Rough Raiders' of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-125, lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on May 5, 2023. (Photo: US Navy)")
As China has squeezed the world’s supply of rare earth metals and magnets with its latest export control rules, the United States could be just weeks away from a crisis and the defence sector is expected to be hit the worst, a London-based analyst has warned.
Earlier this month, China halted the export of rare earth metals and magnets for military applications. It also halted the export of any equipment and human or technical resources that could help any nation set up its own rare earths’ production.
With such restrictions, a crisis is just around the corner, according to Neha Mukherjee, a Rare Earths Research Manager at the London-based Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
“We are days, if not weeks, away from a crisis,” warned Mukherjee.
In an interview with ANI, Mukherjee said that such a situation has arisen as the “entire world is now structurally dependent on China”. She added that the only way for a nation to secure itself is to diversify rare earths’ sources as much as possible.
Rare earth elements are 17 metals that not actually ‘rare’. They are called ‘rare’ because they very difficult and costly to extract. These metals —and magnets made from these metals— are used in almost everything part of modern life, ranging from household essentials like smartphones and refrigerators to automobiles to newer fighter planes like F-35 and F-22 and advanced missiles.
China’s export controls are a strategic move as they have the potentially of hitting military equipment’s production across the world.
China controls around 70 per cent of rare earths’ mining, 90 per cent of production of refined rare earths, and 93 per cent of rare earth magnet production, according to Yahoo Finance.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDefence sector to be hit hardest
While many sectors will be affected, Mukherjee said the defence sector will be hit the worst. In fact, the defence sector was the driving force of these export curbs.
“The export restrictions are in place because they [Chinese] do not want to supply to any defense manufacturing organisations. So any company which is manufacturing missiles, fighter jets, or is linked to these will be affected. There will be no supply. And why is this critical? Because 95 per cent of these materials come from China,” said Mukherjee.
Rare earths are used in virtually every modern military equipment, ranging from fighter planes and missiles to radars and sensors.
| Equipment/Application | Role of Rare Earth Elements / Magnets | Specific Rare Earth Elements Involved |
|---|---|---|
| Precision-Guided Missiles and Munitions | Rare earth magnets used in electric motors, actuators, and control fins to provide precise guidance, targeting, and flight control. Critical for agility and accuracy. | Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm), Dysprosium (Dy), Terbium (Tb) |
| Jet Fighter Engines and Aircraft Components | High-performance alloys and magnets used in engine turbines, electric generators, and actuators controlling flight surfaces and avionics. | Yttrium (Y), Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm) |
| Stealth and Electronic Warfare Systems | Rare earth materials in radar, jamming devices, electromagnetic railguns, and signal amplification for both offensive and defensive electronic warfare capabilities. | Europium (Eu), Terbium (Tb), Yttrium (Y) |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Drones | Miniaturized, powerful permanent magnets in electric propulsion motors and stabilized sensor gimbals enhancing endurance and precision. | Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm) |
| Naval Vessels (Submarines and Destroyers) | Rare earth magnets in propeller motors, sonar transducers, radar systems, and stealth coatings enabling quiet propulsion and advanced sensing. | Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm), Dysprosium (Dy) |
| Cruise Missiles (e.g., Tomahawk) | Magnets in guidance and propulsion actuators provide fine maneuverability and survivability against countermeasures. | Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm) |
| Tank and Armored Vehicles | Electric motors controlling turret rotation and targeting systems use rare earth magnets; high-performance lasers for distance measurement use rare earth dopants. | Neodymium (Nd), Terbium (Tb) |
| Radar and Sonar Systems | Rare earth phosphors and materials enhance resolution, frequency tuning, and sensitivity in surveillance, target acquisition, and underwater detection. | Yttrium (Y), Europium (Eu), Terbium (Tb) |
| Night Vision and Targeting Optics | Phosphors and doped glasses improve clarity, infrared sensitivity, and range in optical scopes and night vision devices. | Europium (Eu), Terbium (Tb), Yttrium (Y) |
| Electronic Countermeasures and Communications | Rare earth components support secure, interference-resistant communications and electronic sensor panels. | Neodymium (Nd), Samarium (Sm), Yttrium (Y) |
| Laser Weapons and Directed Energy Systems | Rare earth doped crystals provide the lasing medium for high-energy, precision laser weapons and counter-IED systems. | Neodymium (Nd), Yttrium (Y), Terbium (Tb) |
| High-Density Batteries and Energy Storage | Rare earth elements like lanthanum and cerium are used in battery technologies supporting UAVs, mobile platforms, and other power systems in the military. | Lanthanum (La), Cerium (Ce), Neodymium (Nd) |
But implications will extend well beyond defence and many other sectors like e-mobility, consumer electronics, and robotics will also be affected, said Mukherjee.