00:00In northern China is the closely guarded rare earth town of Baotou.
00:05It contains a whole ecosystem, from universities that teach specialised programmes,
00:11to labs that produce cutting-edge research,
00:13to refiners that convert the critical materials into magnets
00:17that power jet engines, electric vehicles and wind turbines.
00:21This accumulated expertise sustains Beijing's grip on global supplies of refined rare earths,
00:27something it sees as a geopolitical asset.
00:29And since 2023 it has effectively banned exports of rare earths technology and equipment.
00:36Portuguese physicist Luis Carlos has visited research institutes in the country.
00:41A huge difference is that the universities in China and the laboratories in China
00:48not only focus on new materials,
00:51but essentially on applications of these materials.
00:57So they jump in the chain, in the main chain.
01:02OK, so not only on the basis of the chain, looking for new systems,
01:09but adding value to the materials that they are working on.
01:14US President Donald Trump and other Western leaders
01:18have pledged billions of dollars in investments to break this chokehold.
01:22But China still holds a significant advantage through talent and research
01:26it has developed in areas like Baotou,
01:28a place where several hundred students go each year to learn about these minerals.
01:33China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets.
01:38China produces over 90% gold they are JVG
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