Chart Shows World’s Dependence on China for Critical Minerals

China dominates global production of rare earth elements (REEs), a group of 17 minerals critical to manufacturing a range of high-tech applications. Despite American and European efforts to diversify REE imports, China continues to play a pivotal role in the global supply of the strategic resources. According to the International Energy Agency, China accounted for 61 percent of global REE production last year, with Myanmar and the U.S. trailing at 15 percent and 9 percent, respectively. The U.S. sourced 72 percent of the U.S.’s rare earth imports in 2022 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, followed by Malaysia with 11…