🌍 Rare Earth Power Shift — What’s Really Happening?
1️⃣ BRICS Control Most of the World’s Rare Earths
The five founding BRICS nations — China, Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa — together hold around 76 million metric tons of rare earth reserves.
China ≈ 44M tons
Brazil ≈ 21M tons
India ≈ 6.9M tons
Russia ≈ 3.8M tons
South Africa ≈ 0.86M tons
(Source: USGS & InvestingNews 2025 data)
2️⃣ The U.S. Is Far Behind
The U.S. has about 1.9 million metric tons of rare earth reserves — much smaller compared to BRICS nations.
That’s why the U.S. depends heavily on imports and global partnerships.
3️⃣ Building New Alliances
To reduce this dependency, the U.S. is now working closely with countries like Australia, Canada, Japan, and some Southeast Asian nations to develop new supply chains.
Recent deals — like the U.S.–Australia critical minerals agreement — are a big step forward.
4️⃣ U.S.–China Trade Progress
After months of talks, both sides have eased tensions on rare earth exports. Reports say a framework deal was reached in mid-2025 to keep the rare earth supply flowing — though experts note it’s not a complete long-term fix yet.
5️⃣ Why It Matters
Rare earth minerals are essential for next-generation technologies — from electric vehicles and smartphones to defense and AI chips.
How each country manages these resources will shape the balance of power in the coming decades.
Disclaimer:
All data are based on credible sources (USGS, The Guardian, AP News, and InvestingNews). Figures may vary slightly across reports, but the overall trend remains accurate.
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