The global drive to replace fossil fuels with climate-friendly energy alternatives has powered demand for rare earth minerals used in electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines, with major U.S. companies importing rare earths from Asia. In Myanmar, the process of mining these rare earths has produced environmental damage and human rights abuses, an Associated Press investigation found. Chinese firms took advantage of the exploding rare earths industry until the government in 2012 tightened regulations on domestic mining, both to prevent deforestation from the mines and maintain Chinese reserves to help it stay competitive against the U.S., the investigation, dated Aug....