Russia owns lots of rare earth but mines little. That’s changing

With rare earths in the cross hairs of the US-China trade war, there’s a sharp focus on who else can sell the critical minerals.

Russia could become one supplier. The country accounts for less than 2% of global production, but owns the world’s fourth-biggest reserves, according to the US Geological Survey. There are two projects that could come on line by 2023, but they’ve been set back by delays.