Your article on China's rare-earth mining was mostly just that. China has poor worker protections and environmental protections, so industries there tend to have more harmful side-effects, whether it is iPhone manufacturing or mining. Also from your article:
“But China can’t produce enough for everyone anymore, and if governments are serious about low-carbon technologies, other countries will have to start producing.”
We get it from China because they offer it the cheapest, but other countries can provide rare earths as well.
“China is estimated to account for 90 percent of rare-earth production, despite having only one third of the world's deposits.”
Also, the upcoming 2016 Chevy Volt has been redesigned to use less rare earth metals, yet has more horsepower overall.
“...cutting overall rare-earth metal use from 3.2 kg to 1.2 kg, and the use of heavy rare earths (primarily dysprosium) from 282 grams to just 40 grams.”