The US has added 30 more Chinese firms to its official blacklist for companies whose products are banned because of forced labour involving Uyghurs

A state enterprise is acquiring control of the last foreign-owned rare earth refineries in China, while details about the sector are now classed as state secrets

President Xi said at a summit in Beijing last month that from December goods from least developed countries with diplomatic ties to China would not be subject to import duties

The battle to keep US money and advanced tech from boosting China's military and AI capabilities is likely to rage on no matter who wins the election, although the candidates' styles are very different

China appears to be worried about the government that could emerge if the Myanmar military collapses; it reportedly fears the resistance is closer to Western nations

Metals like cobalt, nickel and platinum, which are in short supply on Earth, can be found in M-type asteroids

Prices of gallium and germanium have nearly doubled in the months since China tamped down their exports

China’s decision to restrict exports of antimony from mid-September could push the metal's price to $30,000 a ton, traders say

Some 73 companies are now on the US blacklist. New additions include Rare Earth Magnesium Technology Group in Hong Kong and Century Sunshine Group, which make magnesium fertilizer and alloy products.

Pushback on the timeline for the switch away from fossil fuels is casting a shadow over lithium, cobalt and copper projects, claim industry players

The new rules, which take effect in October, say the State Council will establish a rare earth product traceability information system. They also seek to protect domestic supply of critical minerals.

More than 230 million tonnes of managanese nodules have been found off Japan's most eastern island, according to a survey team, who said work to extract the rare minerals will begin next year