Across the world, rare earth minerals have become a central topic of discussion, influencing global politics, technological development, and long-term economic strategies. These minerals, once rarely mentioned beyond scientific circles, are now at the heart of modern innovation. Their increasing global demand, limited availability, and strategic significance have pushed countries into quiet yet intense competition.

Major global powers such as the United States and China, along with several developing nations, are all racing to secure reliable access to these resources because the future of energy systems, defence capabilities, and advanced manufacturing depends heavily on them.

Rare earth minerals refer to seventeen chemical elements that have become essential for modern technology. While these elements are not particularly rare in the Earth’s crust, they are often not found in concentrations that make extraction easy or economically viable. This makes them both valuable and strategically important. These minerals are used in almost every modern device we rely on, including smartphones, LED lights, flat-screen TVs, laptops, digital cameras, wind turbines, hybrid vehicles, electric car batteries, and solar panels. They are also crucial for heat-resistant ceramics, powerful magnets, specialized lenses, and advanced optical materials that support industries across the world.

The importance of these minerals becomes even more apparent when we consider their role in defence technologies. Minerals such........

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