Rare Earth Elements
Geopolitics and the Clean Energy Transition
Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metals (17 lanthanides + scandium and yttrium) essential for permanent magnets (used in EV motors, wind turbines), defence electronics, smartphones, and catalysts. Despite their name, REEs are not geologically scarce — the constraint is processing capacity.
- China dominates the REE processing chain, with near-100% control in some categories (e.g., 95%+ share in precursor cathode and LFP cathode materials).
- The clean energy transition dramatically increases REE demand: the IEA projects a 7x increase in lithium demand and a 4x increase in cobalt demand by 2040 under net-zero scenarios.
- The US, EU, Japan, Australia, and India have all launched critical minerals strategies since 2022 to diversify supply.
- India's REE deposits (primarily monazite sands in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala) make it a potential processing partner for allied nations.
● Tracked since February 01, 2026 · last seen September 22, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
18 Jun '26
Andhra Pradesh Targets ₹20,000 Crore Investment in Rare Earth Mineral Processing
Economics
09 May '26
Brazil's Strategic Positioning on Rare Earths in US Trade Diplomacy
International Relations
03 Mar '26
Japan and India in Talks for Joint Rare Earth Mineral Exploration
International Relations
28 Feb '26
Andhra Pradesh's Rare Earth Push: Challenging China's Dominance in Critical Minerals
Economics
19 Feb '26
India Engages US and France to Build Alternative Critical Minerals Supply Chain
Economics
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