China rare earth breakthrough in icy northeast could cement country’s dominance

Chinese scientists have identified a new type of rare earths formation in the nation’s frigid northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin – a discovery that could challenge assumptions about how rare earths occur across the country. Unlike the clay-heavy deposits of southern China – which require chemical leaching to release the elements – the northern formations consist of loose sand and gravel formed by natural freeze-thaw cycles. This difference could make extraction more efficient, l...

By Victoria Bela