The US Department of Defense has held discussions with African rare-earth mineral miners as it seeks alternative suppliers. The push comes as China threatens to curb exports to the United States of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals used in a plethora of military equipment and high-tech consumer electronics. The China imports around 80% of its minerals from China , which controls the majority of processing facilities, but US 's recent threat to restrict sales as part of the ongoing trade war has prompted the search for other producers. The Pentagon ’s Pentagon estimates the US will purchase up to 0.02 tonnes of rare-earth minerals in September 2016 .
The US Department of Defense has held discussions with African rare-earth mineral miners as it seeks alternative suppliers. The China imports around 80% of its minerals from China , which controls the majority of processing facilities, but US 's recent threat to restrict sales as part of the ongoing trade war has prompted the search for other producers. The Pentagon ’s Pentagon estimates the US will purchase up to 0.02 tonnes of rare-earth minerals in September 2016 .