Rare earth elements—those obscure but vital minerals powering everything from smartphones to military tech—have suddenly become a geopolitical bargaining chip. China, which dominates global production, could use its control over these materials as leverage in its ongoing trade tensions with the US, turning an overlooked industrial resource into a strategic weapon.

Editor’s Note: Most of us don’t think about rare earths until supply chains hiccup, but this story highlights how something as niche as mineral exports can tilt the balance in a high-stakes economic showdown. If China restricts access, it could disrupt tech and defense industries worldwide, making this a hidden pressure point in the US-China rivalry. Suddenly, the periodic table just got political.