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The Rare Earth Elements Crisis – Why isn’t America Digging in Ukraine?
Armstrong Economics ^ | 6 Aug 25 | Martin Armstrong

Posted on 08/06/2025 7:02:13 AM PDT by delta7

America is desperate for rare earth minerals. China was supplying the US with around 70% of all such minerals, but they’re not going to supply them to an enemy nation to create weapons. As I mentioned yesterday, this is precisely why America is desperate to access Ukraine. I received a few comments asking why the US has not begun digging, and unfortunately, they are unable to reach those crucial minerals due to the ongoing war.

It is estimated that Ukraine holds 5% of the world’s critical raw materials. Ukrainian officials believe they have 19 million tonnes of graphite reserves and significant deposits of titanium, rare earth metals, and lithium. The current plan would require harvesting up to HALF of Ukraine’s minerals and rare earth materials.

On April 30, 2025, Ukraine and the US finalized a minerals deal and established a United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund. Congress approved a $50 million defense package to Ukraine through direct commercial sales (DCS).

Trump is a businessman first and foremost—the mineral deal had to be approved before he would approve of any aid package. The United States now has preferential rights to extract minerals from Ukraine.

Why hasn’t the US begun digging? An estimated 50% of Ukrainian minerals are in areas under Russian control. The Donbas region, the Donetsk and Luhansk are rich in critical minerals, rare earth minerals, coal, and gas. They host the Shevchenko lithium field. Russia currently controls 40% of Ukraine’s metal resources and 56% of its coal reserves. Other essential sites are within a 10-mile radius of occupied enemy territory.

Dnipropetrovsk & Kharkiv have uranium, but they are unstable due to frontline advances. Zaporizhzhia has the rare earth elements that America is seeking but it is partially occupied by Russian troops and extremely dangerous. Central and Western Ukraine could be safe for extractions, but they are far less rich in minerals.

MineralsUkraine map

Where else can the West turn? Europe faces the same crisis. Estonia has rare minerals, but not enough to meet demand, with the nation currently providing the US with 5% of its needs. Malaysia imports about 13% of US rare earth imports, with Japan providing another 6%. Japan has minerals, but still imports from China.

They plan to begin extracting rare earth minerals from the Minami-Torishima Island in 2026, marking the world’s first large-scale mining operation 6,000 meters beneath the ocean. Scientists believe that the area could contain around 16 million tonnes of rare earth elements, but that is a mere estimate. Malaysia has a low mineral reserve in comparison to other nations and cannot be an alternative supplier. Malaysia hosts the Lynas Corporation, the biggest rare earths processor outside China, but the nation has modest reserves.

So while Ukraine may hold nearly $15 trillion worth of crucial minerals and 15% of the world’s reserves, they cannot be accessed due to the ongoing war. China and Russia are abundant in minerals and have no restrictions when it comes to weapon production.

China has pioneered molten salt reactors to produce uranium and convert it into nuclear energy. America’s enemies have a notable advantage right now and there are no reliable alternatives.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: diggingtakesyears; ignorant; martinarmstrong; martinweakbrain; rareearths; texasbuffoon; thegaytor

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Vlad isn’t giving up his ethnic Russian provinces and the Russian Donbass for many reasons. The war cheerleaders need to deal with that.
1 posted on 08/06/2025 7:02:13 AM PDT by delta7
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To: delta7

Start digging here. Google NIOCORP Plenty of sits in America.


2 posted on 08/06/2025 7:05:28 AM PDT by Mean Daddy
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To: Mean Daddy

Start digging here. Google NIOCORP Plenty of sits in America.
————-
Agreed, however dig deeper. The processing of rare earth ores are extremely toxic, leech pools, toxic chemicals, etc. Why do you think China is the leader of rare earths?

They have little oversight in their refining operations.

https://e360.yale.edu/features/boom_in_mining_rare_earths_poses_mounting_toxic_risks

“Boom in Mining Rare Earths Poses Mounting Toxic Risks
The mining of rare earth metals, used in everything from smart phones to wind turbines, has long been dominated by China. But as mining of these key elements spreads to countries like Malaysia and Brazil, scientists warn of the dangers of the toxic and radioactive waste generated by the mines and processing plants…..”


3 posted on 08/06/2025 7:14:07 AM PDT by delta7
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To: delta7
Re: "America is desperate for rare earth minerals."

I seriously doubt that.

We have all the Rare Earth minerals we need for our military.

However - extracting them and refining them in the USA is going to cost many times what we currently pay to our foreign suppliers.

4 posted on 08/06/2025 7:14:58 AM PDT by zeestephen (Trump Landslide? Kamala lost the election by 230,000 votes, in WI, MI, and PA.)
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To: delta7
America’s enemies have a notable advantage right now and there are no reliable alternatives.

Reason: 8 years of Obama, 4 years of McConnell/Ryan, 4 years of Demented Biden, we lost 16 precious years.

5 posted on 08/06/2025 7:16:41 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: delta7

too much hair on ukraine plus I read they gave their mineral rights to the UK. We have tons of minerals here in the US and that’s where the focus is $DTREF, $MP, $USAR and a number of others.


6 posted on 08/06/2025 7:17:53 AM PDT by spacejunkie2001
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To: delta7

People with common sense do not start mining operations in a WAR ZONE.


7 posted on 08/06/2025 7:18:33 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose GOD is the LORD. ~ Psalm 33:12)
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To: delta7
Hello, I am Martin Armstrong. Please, just call me Marty.

For those not aware of my site, one can get daily reports from my legendary Socrates computer for only $150 a month. This is the same legendary AI program that I developed over 40 years ago and is still the most sophisticated in the world. A marvel since it is DOS based and can run on a 360k IBM desktop! The program is infamous and since using it I have had only three bankruptcies and lost only about $700,000,000 of my clients' funds. That netted me eleven years in prison, But, WTH, free room and board and time to develop my next scam!

signed, Martin Armstrong

8 posted on 08/06/2025 7:26:16 AM PDT by TexasGator (There is no Sharknado system)
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To: delta7

It is estimated that Ukraine holds 5% of the world’s critical raw materials.>>> I believe that report from the 80’s via Soviet Union has been debunked.


9 posted on 08/06/2025 7:28:09 AM PDT by kvanbrunt2
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To: delta7

Ask Big Brother.


10 posted on 08/06/2025 7:29:18 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: delta7

“China has pioneered molten salt reactors to produce uranium”

LOL! Another Socrates fail.


11 posted on 08/06/2025 7:29:43 AM PDT by TexasGator (There is no Sharknado system)
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To: stars & stripes forever

People with common sense do not start mining operations in a WAR ZONE.
—————-
….and they can’t perform mining operations in a country that has had it’s infrastructure devastated, little to no electricity, grid destroyed, ….it will take years and billions of $$$ after the war to establish mining, and that is if Ukraine will even exist.

No tears.


12 posted on 08/06/2025 7:32:49 AM PDT by delta7
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To: Mean Daddy

Rare Earths are not Rare.

They are very environmentally impactful to refine. Some require hundreds of acid baths and must be precipitated. Few in the West can get the permits.


13 posted on 08/06/2025 7:40:23 AM PDT by MMusson ( )
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To: delta7
So from the US point of view Ukraine a straight up imperialist war for recourses?
That seems to be what the author calling for.

Of course he's not the one making policy, but still. Saying that out loud? Really?

14 posted on 08/06/2025 7:47:45 AM PDT by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along.)
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To: delta7

Thanks for posting!


15 posted on 08/06/2025 7:47:53 AM PDT by ANKE69 (“I said once that it smells of authoritarianism in our country. Now it stinks.” Vitali Klitschko)
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To: ANKE69
"Thanks for posting!"

Thank you for the compliment. I get so very few now that everyone knows that I am a lying, scamming ex-con.

signed, Martin Armstrong

16 posted on 08/06/2025 7:51:25 AM PDT by TexasGator (There is no Sharknado system)
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To: delta7

8/5/2025, 12:29:53 PM · 30 of 30
delta7 to TexasGator
“Deny that you ARE Armstrong ...:
————
You are a crackpot.


17 posted on 08/06/2025 7:53:06 AM PDT by TexasGator (There is no Sharknado system)
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To: delta7
>
"Will you let the US mine rare earths in Ukriane?
18 posted on 08/06/2025 7:59:43 AM PDT by Karl Spooner
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To: delta7

The World wonders!


19 posted on 08/06/2025 7:59:48 AM PDT by dpetty121263
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To: Karl Spooner

Amazing how many here love your evil, corrupt dictator ...


20 posted on 08/06/2025 8:02:40 AM PDT by TexasGator (1There is no Sharknado system)
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