SPECIAL | Rare earth minerals are mostly sourced from China. Can we get them in the US?
Most electronic devices you use – your phone, laptop, earbuds – require certain materials called rare earth minerals to function. These minerals also power a wide range of other things critical to our lives like cars, aircraft engines, medical equipment. The U.S. imports most of its supply of rare earth elements from China, which given the current climate of global trade, has led experts to wonder: any way we get more of these minerals here at home? Scott McWhorter, a distinguished fellow in the Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology, joins The Excerpt to dive into the possibilities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.