China Hits Another Rare Earth 'Jackpot'... Can Trump Counter by Purchasing Greenland?

A Rare Earth Deposit of Approximately 1.15 Million Tons Discovered in Yunnan Province
China's Strategic Advantage in Rare Earths Further Strengthened
Greenland's Rare Earth Reserves Attract Global Attention

A rare earth deposit containing approximately 1.15 million tons has been discovered in Yunnan Province, southern China.

President-elect Trump and Chairman Xi Jinping. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 18th, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the China Geological Survey under the Ministry of Natural Resources discovered a large ion-adsorption rare earth deposit with a potential reserve of 1.15 million tons in the Honghe region of Yunnan Province. It is known to contain more than 470,000 tons of key rare earth elements including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium. Rare earth elements are essential minerals for advanced industries such as semiconductors and electric vehicle manufacturing. According to the 2023 data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), China holds 44 million tons of rare earth reserves, accounting for over 90% of the global supply.

Ion-adsorption type deposits are formed when rare earth elements are adsorbed onto clay minerals through weathering processes. They are known to be easier to mine and extract compared to rare earth minerals in ore form. For example, although Canada’s total rare earth reserves are estimated to exceed 14 million tons, the amount that can actually be mined is expected to be only about 830,000 tons.

The China Geological Survey stated, "Since the first ion-adsorption rare earth mine was discovered in Jiangxi Province in 1969, this is another major breakthrough," adding, "It is expected to become China’s largest medium rare earth deposit." They also noted, "This completes the rare earth industry chain and further solidifies our strategic advantage."

Meanwhile, amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is actively pursuing the purchase of Greenland, foreign media have interpreted that Trump is targeting Greenland’s strategic location and natural resources essential for advanced technologies. Greenland is said to be rich in natural resources including oil and rare earth minerals such as neodymium and dysprosium, which are essential for manufacturing semiconductors and electric vehicles. Greenland’s rare earth reserves amount to 1.5 million tons, second only to the United States’ 1.8 million tons. Experts believe that if the U.S. incorporates Greenland, it could be a decisive opportunity to reduce dependence on Chinese rare earths. Trump has expressed his desire to purchase Greenland since his first term, but even before official discussions on the purchase could take place, Greenland reportedly dismissed the idea as "absurd."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.