, Columnist
America Has Plenty of Rare Earths. But Not for Long
An administration determined to halt the energy transition knows it’s already lost the argument.
Rare earth magnets are the super-strong pellets that help stick a charging cable to your laptop, smartwatch or headphones.
Photographer: Joe Buglewicz/BloombergHypocrisy, it’s said, is the tribute that vice pays to virtue. The US government’s meltdown about rare earths similarly shows how an administration determined to halt the energy transition knows it’s already lost the argument.
Rare earth magnets are the super-strong pellets that help stick a charging cable to your laptop, smartwatch or headphones. They’re also an essential component in a swath of high-tech applications. About 90% are produced in China.