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How China Built the World's Largest Manufacturing Machine, With Rare Earths as the WeaponFebruary 26, 2026 8:00 AM
PR Newswire (US)

OilPrice.com News CommentaryNEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Long before trade wars and tariffs, China secured manufacturing dominance by controlling rare earths - a reality so consequential that the United States and its allies are now pledging more than $8.5 billion just to claw back some control of the supply chain. Companies mentioned in this release include: REalloys Inc. (ALOY), MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP), Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM), Amprius Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: AMPX), Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML), Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NYSE: NMG).As global manufacturing expanded over the past two decades, rare earth processing was steadily pushed out of Western supply chains. It was capital-intensive, technically demanding, and difficult to defend on short-term economics.China made the opposite choice, keeping those capabilities in place and methodically expanding them as others exited."China didn't win this by mining. It won by building the entire system–separation, refining, metals, magnets–all connected. Everyone else walked away from it. At that point, control wasn't up for debate anymore," REalloys (ALOY) CEO Lipi Sternheim said. "North America lost control, and the reality is simple: factories don't run on ore. They run on metals and alloys and at this moment in time our company is the only one able to actually refine heavy metals and magnets. Our competitors, no matter how well funded they are, are at least 3 years away from production"By the time rare earths became strategically visible, the infrastructure that determined who could actually build was already concentrated in one place. Then it was weaponized, with Beijing placing restrictions on rare earth exports in order to control which defense and advanced manufacturing programs received supply."That loss of end-to-end rare earth capability outside China is exactly what REAlloys was built to close," Sternheim said.And things are moving quickly, in tandem with the U.S. Department of Defense's eye on the critical metal prize: domestic processing.REalloys Inc. (ALOY) has addressed the rare earth bottleneck that has constrained Western manufacturing for decades by reestablishing domestic conversion capacity, turning separated material into metals and alloys inside North America through its partnership with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). Now, it's the only North American company with North American supply from a heavy rare earth refinery.With that conversion capacity in place, REalloys has moved to lock in feedstock, including a long-term offtake agreement tied to Kazakhstan.Through a long-term non-binding offtake agreement with AltynGroup, REAlloys will pull rare earth feedstock out of Kazakhstan and route it straight into its North American metallization and alloying system. The material does not leave the chain as concentrate.Oxides and concentrates don't power anything. Metals and alloys do.Until rare earths are converted into metal and alloy form, they cannot be used in motors, magnets, or weapons systems. That conversion step is where control has been lost for decades — and where most Western supply chains break.By routing material all the way through to metals and alloys inside the United States, REAlloys is solving the part of the problem that cannot be fixed later, substituted, or rushed in a crisis.The feedstock is tied to AltynGroup's Kokbulak project, where rare earth-bearing material is recovered from an existing iron ore operation. The concentrate includes both light and heavy rare earths, including dysprosium and terbium.North America has handled foreign rare earth material before, but almost always handed it back offshore before it reached metal or alloy form. This arrangement is built to stop that handoff. Material enters the chain and stays in the chain until it becomes defense-grade output.This is not future capacity. The Kazakhstan feedstock will be routed into a system that is already running.REalloys (ALOY) operates the only facility in North America capable of converting rare earths through metallization and alloying at scale, including heavy rare earth elements.That capability sits at its Euclid, Ohio site, where rare earth metals and alloys are already being produced for U.S. government customers.This is the step in the chain where rare earths become usable for defense systems, motors, and high-performance magnets– and it is the step the West no longer controls. With new U.S. rules taking effect in 2027 restricting the use of Chinese rare earths in defense and federally backed manufacturing, existing domestic conversion capacity is becoming more relevant by the quarter.There is no parallel facility in North America handling heavy rare earth conversion at this level. Building one is not a short-term exercise. Processing, metallization, and alloy qualification take years to permit, finance, construct, and qualify with defense customers. Even under accelerated timelines, meaningful competition is measured in half-decades, not quarters.REalloys has assembled that capability into a single operating system.Kazakhstan provides scale-ready feedstock. Hoidas Lake in Saskatchewan adds a second upstream source. The partnership with the Saskatchewan Research Council anchors midstream processing. Euclid closes the loop by turning material into defense-grade metals and alloys. This is not a collection of projects moving independently. It is a single conversion system designed to keep material inside Western control all the way to finished output.The U.S. government is now saying out loud what defense planners have been warning about privately for years.This week, Washington convened talks with allied and partner countries explicitly aimed at weakening China's grip over critical minerals supply chains. The issue has moved out of the realm of industrial competition and into national security planning, at a point where there is almost no buffer left.China has already used rare earth controls to cut off specific military and industrial customers.In late 2025, Beijing imposed an explicit ban on exports of certain rare earth materials and processing technologies for military use, blocking shipments tied to defense and weapons manufacturing. The restrictions were not broad trade measures. They were targeted at materials and know-how required for guidance systems, magnets, and advanced electronics used by foreign militaries.Japan has been on the receiving end as well.Chinese authorities have recently tightened export controls and licensing around rare earths and related materials amid renewed political friction with Tokyo, reviving a playbook Japan knows well. In 2010, China abruptly curtailed rare earth exports to Japan during a diplomatic dispute, disrupting automotive and electronics supply chains and forcing emergency stockpiling.The Pentagon has already crossed the line from concern to intervention.Complementing DoD's downstream focus, the U.S. government is launching a $12 billion strategic critical-minerals stockpile that will include rare earths, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other essential elements. The initiative aims to reduce U.S. dependence on China and ensure material availability for defense, advanced manufacturing, and technology sectors by acquiring and holding key feedstocks and intermediates.Using Defense Production Act authorities and direct financing, it has pushed capital into domestic rare earth processing and magnet production, including MP Materials (NASDAQ: MP), to keep U.S. weapons programs from remaining hostage to Chinese-controlled metals. Using Defense Production Act authorities and direct financing, it has pushed capital downstream into domestic rare earth processing and magnet materials to keep U.S. weapons programs from remaining dependent on Chinese-controlled metals.Government action is still moving through policy channels and legacy projects, while REAlloys is already producing rare earth metals and alloys inside the United States–the layer the Department of Defense now treats as critical.REalloys is right at the downstream choke point. The hardest part of the supply chain is already built, demand is real, and the barriers to entry are high.Other companies involved in the rare earths sector that you should be aware of:MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP)MP Materials has largely completed its strategy of rebuilding a fully domestic rare earth magnet supply chain. While Mountain Pass remains one of the world's premier rare earth deposits, the company's emphasis has shifted toward value-added refining and magnet manufacturing.Its Fort Worth, Texas facility is ramping production of finished NdFeB magnets manufactured from internally separated oxides, creating an end-to-end U.S. supply chain. Initial annual magnet capacity is near 1,000 metric tons, with staged expansion tied to automotive and defense demand.Department of Defense support continues to accelerate development of heavy rare earth separation capabilities, including dysprosium and terbium. Multi-year government supply agreements reinforce MP's position as both a commercial supplier and a strategic national security partner.Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM)Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile remains one of the world's most consequential lithium producers, supplying high-purity lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide that feed lithium-ion battery supply chains globally. Headquartered in Santiago and operating extensive brine extraction and chemical refining infrastructure in Chile's Atacama Desert, SQM leverages decades of extraction experience and advanced purification to deliver material into EV and energy storage markets.The company's vertically integrated model spans brine resource development, lithium chemical production, and specialty industrial chemicals, helping it manage pricing cycles and diversify revenue beyond battery metals. Despite geopolitical and regulatory headwinds in Chile's evolving lithium policy landscape, SQM maintains strategic partnerships and continues to expand capacity targeted at battery-grade chemicals.Amprius Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: AMPX)Amprius Technologies is a U.S.-based advanced battery technology company focused on silicon anode lithium-ion cells that deliver some of the highest commercial energy densities available today. Its SiCore and SiMaxx silicon-enabled platforms target applications where power-to-weight performance is critical, including electric aviation, defense systems, and high-end EVs.Amprius's proprietary materials and cell designs position it at the intersection of high-performance battery innovation and next-generation mobility markets, with potential demand catalysts tied to aerospace electrification, specialized electric vehicles, and grid-edge storage where weight and efficiency drive technical decisions.Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ: CRML)Critical Metals Corp. is advancing a Western-focused development portfolio centered on lithium and rare earth assets in Europe and Greenland. Its Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Austria has moved through definitive feasibility and is positioned to become one of the EU's first new hard-rock lithium producers.Located near Central European battery manufacturing clusters, Wolfsberg benefits from logistical advantages and alignment with the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act. Underground mine design and established permitting progress have supported community and regulatory acceptance. Binding offtake arrangements, including automotive partnerships, provide commercial clarity ahead of construction.Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NYSE: NMG)Nouveau Monde Graphite is developing an integrated mine-to-anode model designed to supply low-carbon graphite to Western battery manufacturers. Its Matawinie project in Quebec is structured as an all-electric open-pit operation powered by hydroelectricity, significantly lowering lifecycle emissions relative to conventional peers.Concentrate from Matawinie will feed the company's downstream facility in Bécancour, where purification, spheroidization, and coating processes will convert material into battery-grade anode graphite. Vertical integration enables higher margins while reducing exposure to Chinese processing dominance.By. Josh OwensThe AI boom is triggering an unexpected and unprecedented bull run in natural gas and power stocks. If you aren't paying attention to the energy demands of data centers, you will miss the biggest energy story of the decade. The smart money is already quietly moving into the few companies prepared to power the trillion-dollar AI machine.Oilprice Intelligence brings you the inside view on where the next gains will come from, breaking down the market's biggest growth driver with analysis from veteran oilmen and experts. Click here to get this crucial intel for freeImportant Disclosure: The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares and/or stock options of the company and therefore has an incentive to see the company's stock perform well. We encourage you to conduct your own due diligence and seek the advice of your financial advisor or broker before investing.FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTSThis publication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected continual growth of the featured companies and/or industry. The Publisher notes that statements contained herein that look forward in time, which include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the companies' actual results of operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, changing governmental laws and policies concerning, among other things, recreational and medical cannabis sales, success of the company's proprietary technology, the size and growth of the market for the company's products and services, the company's ability to fund its capital requirements in the near term and long term, pricing pressures, etc. IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMERNeither the author nor the publisher, Oilprice.com, was paid to publish this communication concerning REalloys (ALOY). The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares and/or stock options of the featured company and therefore has an incentive to see the featured company's stock perform well. 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Original: How China Built the World's Largest Manufacturing Machine, With Rare Earths as the Weapon

Flurry of Supply Deals as World Scrambles for Tomorrow’s Lithium

A flurry of activity between producers and buyers is underway to lock down supply agreements for years to come. While Chinese buyers are leading the way with deals all over the world, North American buyers including Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors are also securing all that they can as the world prepares for the electric vehicle (EV) revolution.

These deals are happening earlier and earlier in the process as well, with Tesla’s latest deal being signed with a plant that’s not even built yet. The same goes for Chinese lithium buyer, General Lithium Corp., which is now signed on to buy supplies from a future Canadian mine that’s not expected to generate revenue until Q4 of 2019.

The winners in all this are the lithium producers, both present and future. These are based all over the world, including Australian miners Kidman Resources Limited (OTC: KDDRF), Pilbara Minerals Limited (OTC: PILBF), Chile’s Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM), and Canadian miners Nemaska Lithium (OTC: NMKEF) (TSX: NMX) and QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: QMC) (OTC: QMCQF).

A lithium supply gap is forcing buyers to aggressively jockey for position on global supplies as they roll off the production line. While this war for supplies heats up, the buyers must also be keeping tomorrow’s lithium mines and the miners on their radar.

These include the Mount Holland lithium JV project of Kidman Resources and SQM in Western Australia, and the Whabouchi Mine in Quebec, Canada, owned by Nemaska Lithium. Both of these mines are yet to be built, however, the bulk (if not all) of their supplies are already spoken for.

Calls are flooding other miners who are set to produce soon, like Pilbara Minerals on its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project—Despite the fact that the first stage is already 100% signed away to buyers General Lithium, and Ganfeng Lithium. Hence, the market is now looking towards which project is next in line to get a dance partner.

One junior that’s possibly moving closer to its own production in the years to come is QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. Bolstered by its 100%-owned Irgon Mine flagship project in mining friendly Manitoba, Canada, QMC controls what could be another lithium massive resource. Now they’ve assembled a technical team tasked with bringing the previously historic non-compliant resource into compliance, and to significantly expand Irgon’s size and potential.

Supply deals are being signed seemingly everywhere, as the market for lithium is showing no signs of slowing down. In order to meet the demand, new projects must continue to develop into production. With buyers getting out ahead of their competitors earlier and earlier, the financing for these new projects will likely become smoother, faster, and more prevalent.

LUCRATIVE LITHIUM SUPPLIERS: PRESENT AND FUTURE

Kidman Resources Limited (OTC: KDDRF)

The Australian miner made international headlines as it signed a three-year lithium supply deal with arguably the world’s most famous EV manufacturer, Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors. The fixed-price deal is set to commence once Kidman’s project in Western Australia begins production. The Mount Holland hardrock lithium project in western Australia is a joint venture with Chile’s SQM, the world’s second-largest lithium producer. Kidman is also building a refinery to process its lithium into battery-grade material, which is expected to commence construction in 2021.

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM)

Set inside the Kwinana Strategic Industrial area, south of Perth, SQM and Kidman’s JV refinery is set to be commissioned in 2021. The project has an initial annual nameplate capacity of 44,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide or 37,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate. While Kidman recently signed its supply deal with Tesla, SQM has also been working on its own deals back in its home base of Chile. Midway through May, SQM received more than $4 billion for selling a sizeable stake of itself to China-based Tianqi Lithium.

Pilbara Minerals Limited (OTC: PILBF)

Now that it’s on the cusp of commissioning its Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project, Pilbara is already being inundated with requests for lithium supply, according to company boss Ken Brinsden. Already, 100% of the expected 300,000-350,000 tonnes per annum of spodumene is committed under offtake deals with General Lithium and Ganfeng Lithium. However, there’s still a possible stage 2 expansion on deck, should Pilbara approve a final investment decision valued at over US$155 million in July. Ganfeng, Great Wall Motors and POSCO have options over all of the planned stage 2 production of 500,000-550,000 tonnes per annum as well. As things stand for the next few years, Pilbara is sold out.

Nemaska Lithium (OTC: NMKEF) (TSX: NMX)

Much like Pilbara, Canada’s Nemaska Lithium now has its own lithium supply agreement with General Lithium Corp. Based in the province of Quebec, Nemaska’s Whabouchi Mine will supply a significant quantity of spodumene concentrate on a take-or-pay basis at a market priced-based formula, at the time of delivery. The supply period is set to commence after the construction of the Whabouchi Mine and continue up to the full ramp-up of an electrochemical plant in Shawinigan, Quebec. Nemaska expects the spodumene concentrate sales to generate revenue by the last quarter of 2019.

QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: QMC) (OTC: QMCQF)

While at a much earlier stage of development compared to Nemaska, QMC Quantum Minerals is making significant strides on its 100%-owned Irgon Lithium Mine Project in Manitoba. QMC recently reported it had engaged SGS Canada to provide technical support and consulting services to help carry out the company’s 2018 field exploration and drilling program. As well, SGS will use the data acquired through the 2018 exploration program to compile a NI 43-101 compliant technical report to confirm and potentially increase the previously non-compliant historical resource of 1.2 million tonnes at 1.51% Li2O. With a potentially massive resource in play, QMC could be the next Canadian lithium supplier.

MANITOBA’S MILLIONS OF MINING TONNES

With the possibility of a resource that could have significantly more than 1.2 million tonnes at 1.51% Li2O, QMC Quantum Minerals Corp. (TSX.V: QMC) (OTC: QMCQF) is getting closer to a major mining event in Manitoba. Having uncovered a long forgotten treasure in the Irgon Dike, QMC aims to capitalize on the significant increase in prices for today’s lithium versus when the discovery was first made.

Earlier in May, QMC disseminated historical assay results that were obtained during a 1956 channel sampling of the Irgon Dike where it is exposed underground in crosscuts on the 200-foot level. The company released a 3-D model, which demonstrates that, to date, exploration and underground development has been only undertaken on the upper and central portions of dike leaving significant potential to quickly increase tonnage, as the Irgon Dike is open both along strike and to depth.

The project was originally worked on by the Lithium Corporation of Canada in the 1950s, and now is finally getting an effective work program. With modern analysis, the potential for the project is far more massive than it was given credit for over 60 years ago. On site, a complete mining plant was previously installed, designed to process 500 tons of ore per day, and a three-compartment shaft was sunk to a depth of 74 meters. When work on the operation was suspended in 1957, the market for lithium oxides wasn’t favourable. However, with today’s prices (and the subsequent mad rush for supply and offtake agreements), the rebooting of the Irgon Mine project is not only sensible, but seemingly inevitable.

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Source: https://www.baystreet.ca/articles/stockstowatch/39331/Flurry-of-Supply-Deals-as-World-Scrambles-for-Tomorrows-Lithium