READ MORE:* The race against China's 'rare earths weapon'* China threatens to cut US off from rare earths, but its weapon may be a damp squib* Rare earth could be common in NZIt may seem an obscure issue, but there are very tangible fears driving the argument for greater attention. AP Workers use machinery to dig at a rare earth mine in Ganxian county in central China. At the time, the dispute led several countries to begin exploring alternative sources of rare earths, and similar work is taking place now. The Government here has paid some attention to the issue of rare earths and other critical minerals and their value to New Zealand. In a 10-year strategy document released in 2019, the Government also committed to producing a list of critical minerals for the country.

Source: Stuff March 10, 2021 17:03 UTC