cover of episode What are rare earths and why does everyone want them?

What are rare earths and why does everyone want them?

2025/5/8
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The Briefing Room
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D
David Aaronovitch
E
Ellie Saklatvala
H
Henry Sanderson
O
Olivia Lazard
S
Sophia Kalantzakos
Topics
David Aaronovitch: 我关注到美国和乌克兰签署了一项矿产协议，以及特朗普总统对格陵兰岛和加拿大的兴趣，这都与稀土和关键矿产有关。中国控制着这些对现代科技至关重要的矿产市场，这在战略上令人担忧。 Ellie Saklatvala: 稀土指的是17种化学性质相似的矿物或元素，包括镧系元素、钇和钪。它们用途广泛，包括制造强磁铁、电子产品和军事应用等。虽然稀土在地球上储量丰富，但开采、加工和利用却很困难，因此变得稀缺。关键矿物则涵盖更广泛的矿物种类，对经济和国家安全至关重要。中国是稀土和关键矿物的主要生产国，并从其他国家进口矿石和精矿。稀土的加工过程成本高昂，需要考虑环境因素，并面临审批流程冗长的问题。中国控制着全球大部分的稀土和镓的供应，其他关键矿物的市场份额也占据主导地位。稀土开采得到的矿物中含有各种稀土元素和杂质，需要通过复杂的、昂贵的分离过程才能提取出有用的元素。稀土的加工过程历史上曾污染严重，但现在正在改进，环保标准也在提高。稀土和关键矿物对可再生能源转型至关重要，例如用于电池和太阳能电池板的生产。 Henry Sanderson: 乌克兰拥有锂、石墨、钛和稀土等矿产资源，但其稀土和锂矿大多位于俄军占领区，其经济价值和可开采性尚不明确。美国改变战略，试图通过确保资源供应来与中国竞争，以实现工业自给自足，避免依赖中国供应链。与拜登政府的“友岸外包”策略不同，特朗普政府采取“美国优先”策略，试图独自确保美国的关键矿产供应，这与盟友合作的策略相悖。中国在关键矿产市场占据主导地位，这与其成为制造业强国以及其在供应链中的战略布局有关。开采矿物只是第一步，还需要建立相关产业和需求，否则矿物只会流向中国。特朗普政府对绿色能源的政策不确定性阻碍了对矿物加工厂和电池厂的投资，这不利于美国对关键矿物的利用。 Sophia Kalantzakos: 美国对关键矿产的战略发生了变化，从过去的与盟友合作转向了单方面行动。中国利用全球化便利，通过与非洲建立关系和“一带一路”倡议等方式，确保关键矿产供应链的稳定和不受阻碍。欧洲将继续向可再生能源转型，这将创造对关键矿物的需求。美国有能力在国内开采矿产，但受制于投资、许可和环保法规等因素。 Olivia Lazard: 特朗普政府对格陵兰和加拿大的兴趣与关键矿产有关，这反映了美国一种更具帝国主义色彩的新型行为。要挑战中国的优势，需要支持其他中等强国，投资负责任的矿业，并解决矿业对环境的影响。

Deep Dive

Shownotes Transcript

President Trump has signed a minerals deal with Ukraine, which will give the US access to some of Ukraine’s natural resources. The US president also said he’d like to take over Greenland and even Canada. Why? Well one reason may well be the rare earths and critical minerals found there. Critical minerals are vital for almost every industry from the manufacturing of computers to fighter jets. But in recent years the rise of green technologies has been fuelling demand for minerals used to make batteries for electric cars and other renewable infrastructure. One country dominates the minerals market - China - which has repercussions for the rest of the world, including the US. David Aaronovitch and guests discuss what and where these minerals are, why everyone wants them and how the rest of the world can compete with China.

Guests:

Ellie Saklatvala, Head of Nonferrous Metal Pricing, Argus, a provider of market intelligence for the global commodity markets. Henry Sanderson, author of ‘Volt Rush, the Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green’ and Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute Sophia Kalantzakos, Global Distinguished Professor in Environmental Studies and Public Policy at New York University in Abu Dhabi and the author of 'China and the Geopolitics of Rare Earths' Olivia Lazard, a senior fellow affiliated with the think tank, Carnegie Europe and Berggruen Institute

Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower and Kirsteen Knight Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound engineer: David Crackles Editor: Richard Vadon