China's dominance in rare earth industry has key structural weakness as US, Japan hold core patents: Study
- Posted on July 5, 2026
- By Business News Today
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- 1 min read
China's dominance in rare earth industry has key structural weakness as US, Japan hold core patents: Study
Despite controlling the majority of global rare earth mining and processing, China's dominance faces a significant structural weakness. A recent study reveals that core patents for advanced rare earth functional materials, crucial for high-tech applications, are largely held by the US and Japan. This suggests China's upstream advantage hasn't translated into leadership in higher-value downstream technologies, prompting calls for improved innovation and collaboration.
