MaterialsCentral Asian country has deposits and mining expertise, but processing remains difficultChina accounts for 70% of the world's rare-earth production and controls 90% of the processing and refining. (Nikkei montage/source photos by Reuters)JOE LUC BARNESJune 19, 2026 12:22 JSTLONDON -- In the Hilton Astana last week, Kazakhstan presented itself as one answer to a problem worrying governments from Washington to Tokyo: how to loosen China's grip on rare-earth minerals used in technologies that power the modern world.
Kazakhstan enters rare earths, minerals race as China alternative
Central Asian country has deposits and mining expertise, but processing remains difficult
77 words~1 min read
