• count_dongulus@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    They’re called “rare earth elements”, but they’re extremely common. They’re just in trace amounts…everywhere in the Earth’s crust. China stopping exports just means everyone else will have a reason to extract them, when before China was just a path of least resistance. Will take a bit of time to re-establish industry though.

      • taladar@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        Why would they? If the US keeps sabotaging its influence and economy they just have to wait for a bit for the protection of Taiwan to collapse completely.

        • doingthestuff@lemy.lol
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          5 days ago

          I mean it’s in the context. They’re shutting down rare mineral resources but given a few years other countries can replace those supplies. If China wants to cripple certain abilities, they probably want to act before we have found workarounds for their actions. Also, as crazy as Trump has seemed so far, the US is nowhere near uninfluential. Yet. He gained influence during his last term. I wouldn’t write him off as completely insane just yet.