US brushes aside reports on rare earth minerals shortage

A study by the US defense department confirmed that China's monopoly on rare-earth materials poses no threat to US national security.

The findings and recommendations may be presented this week to US lawmakers, who have been alarmed by China's actions since July to reduce rare-earths exports by about three-quarters.

There were concerns that a Chinese ban on export of rare earth materials, used in military hardware such as missile guidance and radar systems, will have a serious impact on US arms industry.

According to defence department officials, the country is not fully dependent on China for these materials and new mining operations outside of China will help meet American military needs.

Experts also support the findings saying that two close allies of the US, Australia and Canada, have rich rare earth resources; also there's reasonable supplies to be discovered in the more arid regions of the US.

''Sizable deposits are known to exist in Canada, Australia, India and Brazil, among other places,'' they said.