China’s Rare Earths El Dorado Gives Strategic Edge

In this photo take on November 20, 2025, a view of a rare earths processing plant is seen in Dingnan County, Ganzhou, in eastern China's Jiangxi province Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP

By Peter Catterall

Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of critical rare earths is mined around the clock by a secretive, heavily guarded industry.

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