The 20th Century was the American century.
We dipped a little there in-between, but it looks like the 21st Century to be back on track to be another American century. MAGA!
There was once a time decades ago when the US lead in production of rare earth materials. Then, in the early 80’s, there was an incident at a western mining facility (Mountain Pass) where some Thorium (a by product of rare earth mining) spill out from a tillings pipe.
The enviro groups and EPA went bonkers a changed Thorium’s classification as nuclear waste making it too much of a hassle for mining companies. Many simply changed to other materials or packed up and went to China.
China today has a 90+ % monopoly on rare earth materials...so much so that many companies are forced to do business there.
To get a better idea on this issue, I give you two YouTube segments:
THE THORIUM PROBLEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyqYP6f66Mw
National Security, Rare Earth Elements & The Thorium Problem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxwF93wnRQo