China’s stranglehold on rare earths must be ended, says hopeful supplier to EU
News Source
•Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:00:14 GMT
📰 What Happened
A mining boss says the world must end China's tight hold on rare earth supplies. Rafael Moreno runs Viridis Mining and Minerals, which hopes to supply the EU within two years.
Rare earths go into cars, wind turbines and military jets. China has controlled much of the market for years.
Moreno said the market is nervous as a Trump-Xi summit approaches on Thursday.
🔍 The Backstory
China brought in controls on rare earth exports in April 2025. That hit car makers in the EU, UK, US and Japan hard.
After a summit in South Korea last October, Xi agreed to pause even tougher rules, but only for 12 months. Leaders hoped for a longer deal in May, but none came.
Viridis has opened a test plant in Brazil and holds assets in Australia and Canada.
🎯 Why It Matters
Rare earths sit inside electric cars, phones and wind turbines. Supply problems can slow factories, raise prices and put jobs at risk.
A mining boss says the world must end China's tight hold on rare earth supplies. Rafael Moreno runs Viridis Mining and Minerals, which hopes to supply the EU within two years.
Rare earths go into cars, wind turbines and military jets. China has controlled much of the market for years.
Moreno said the market is nervous as a Trump-Xi summit approaches on Thursday.
China brought in controls on rare earth exports in April 2025. That hit car makers in the EU, UK, US and Japan hard.
After a summit in South Korea last October, Xi agreed to pause even tougher rules, but only for 12 months. Leaders hoped for a longer deal in May, but none came.
Viridis has opened a test plant in Brazil and holds assets in Australia and Canada.
Rare earths sit inside electric cars, phones and wind turbines. Supply problems can slow factories, raise prices and put jobs at risk.