A warning to critical minerals buyers: avoid butter mountains, aluminium floods
World 15:49 26/05/2026Western governments, currently ploughing tens of billions of dollars into critical minerals in an effort to break their reliance on China, could look to history to see how well-intentioned efforts to prop up commodity sectors can backfire.
Japan sets sail on rare earth hunt as China tightens supplies
World 10:10 12/01/2026SHIZUOKA, Japan - A Japanese mining ship departed on Monday for a remote coral atoll to probe mud rich in rare earths, part of Tokyo's drive to curb its reliance on China for critical minerals as Beijing tightens supply.
Global race for rare earths comes to Kenya's Mrima Hill
World 10:26 27/10/2025KWALE (KENYA) -- Division and suspicion have gripped five villages near Kenya's coast as global powers from the United States to China eye a forest that is rich in rare earths -- minerals vital to high-tech and low-carbon industries.