Up until the mid-1980s, the United States was the lead global producer of rare earth elements — materials that are used to make the technology that powers everything from laptops to hybrid cars — and have come to define our high-tech lives.
Up until the mid-1980s, the United States was the lead global producer of rare earth elements — materials that are used to make the technology that powers everything from laptops to hybrid cars — and have come to define our high-tech lives. Now, America is 100 percent dependent on imports of these elements and China is the primary world supplier.