Quote Originally Posted by Furunculus View Post
though the worldwide rare-earths industry is still only worth a billion or two per annum, and while that will increase it is reckoned that most countries/industries have strategic reserves that could last for years yet, so armageddon scenarios for western wealth generation are a little wide of the mark.
This would have more weight behind it if the countries in question retained the capacity to process the material and to add value through turning it into goods and services etc.

Todays world prefers to export such capacity in the belief it can move up the ladder but the Chinese will own the ladder or at least the right to use the ladder.