China’s Rare Earth Edge: Processing Know-How and Magnet Supply Chains Remain the Decisive Moat
The source argues that China’s rare earth dominance persists primarily because it controls processing, refining, and magnet production—segments defined by difficult-to-replicate expertise and scale. Western diversification efforts are advancing, but without a step-change in non-China processing technology and capacity, concentration risk is likely to remain through the late 2020s.