US firms face rare earth shortages ahead of China summit
US aerospace and chip firms face rare earth shortages as Chinese exports stall. Manufacturers are rationing yttrium and scandium ahead of a key trade summit.
Suppliers to aerospace and semiconductor firms in the United States are grappling with worsening shortages of critical rare earth elements, according to industry insiders. The supply crunch, centered on niche elements such as yttrium and scandium, persists despite a trade detente reached in October between Washington and China.
The shortages are coming to a head just weeks before a planned summit in Beijing between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. While Beijing has allowed some rare earth exports to resume since imposing restrictions last April, customs data indicates that shipments of these specific materials rarely reach American shores. The easing of trade tensions, which was premised on China pausing its critical mineral export restrictions, will be a primary topic of discussion during the March summit.
