rare earth metals

A post-gold rush in Idaho and Montana

Have you ever begged your six-month-old to stop throwing the pacifier off the edge of the high chair­ only to watch him do it again with a profoundly amused, puffy-cheeked smile? That must be how American, Japanese and European diplomats feel today. After pleading with China not to re-issue rare earth quotas, Beijing did just that, imposing new restrictions that would keep exports of the strategic materials at roughly last year’s levels.