[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":845},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/benchmark-life-cycle-assessment-reveals-environmental-impact-of-chinas-rare-earth-production":540},[4,52,82,112,148,186,228,259,296,328,371,412,450,481,510],{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":8,"today":9,"last":10,"percentageChange":11,"yearToDate":12,"yearOnYear":13,"oneYearIndexTrend":14,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-05-27","2wk","Updated every 2 weeks","Lithium",411.01,408.51,0.61,75.85,175.57,[15,16,18,21,24,27,30,33,36,39,42,45],{"date":5,"value":9},{"date":17,"value":10},"2026-05-13",{"date":19,"value":20},"2026-04-29",372.51,{"date":22,"value":23},"2026-04-15",354.35,{"date":25,"value":26},"2026-04-01",346.55,{"date":28,"value":29},"2026-03-18",351.32,{"date":31,"value":32},"2026-03-04",346.6,{"date":34,"value":35},"2026-02-18",324,{"date":37,"value":38},"2026-02-04",337.67,{"date":40,"value":41},"2026-01-21",298.32,{"date":43,"value":44},"2026-01-07",233.73,{"date":46,"value":47},"2025-12-24",203.79,"/lithium/prices",null,false,true,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":53,"today":54,"last":55,"percentageChange":56,"yearToDate":57,"yearOnYear":58,"oneYearIndexTrend":59,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Carbonate",449.85,451.12,-0.28,77.12,181.56,[60,61,62,64,66,68,70,72,74,76,78,80],{"date":5,"value":54},{"date":17,"value":55},{"date":19,"value":63},404.38,{"date":22,"value":65},381.25,{"date":25,"value":67},371.52,{"date":28,"value":69},373.01,{"date":31,"value":71},366.63,{"date":34,"value":73},349.17,{"date":37,"value":75},356.81,{"date":40,"value":77},316.73,{"date":43,"value":79},253.98,{"date":46,"value":81},220.12,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":83,"today":84,"last":85,"percentageChange":86,"yearToDate":87,"yearOnYear":88,"oneYearIndexTrend":89,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Hydroxide",358.35,350.28,2.3,76.32,168.94,[90,91,92,94,96,98,100,102,104,106,108,110],{"date":5,"value":84},{"date":17,"value":85},{"date":19,"value":93},328.09,{"date":22,"value":95},316.95,{"date":25,"value":97},311.86,{"date":28,"value":99},321.41,{"date":31,"value":101},319.14,{"date":34,"value":103},295.42,{"date":37,"value":105},310,{"date":40,"value":107},270.4,{"date":43,"value":109},203.24,{"date":46,"value":111},177.17,{"publishedDate":19,"updateFrequency":113,"updateFrequencyText":114,"label":115,"today":116,"last":117,"percentageChange":118,"yearToDate":119,"yearOnYear":120,"oneYearIndexTrend":121,"url":147,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"1wk","Updated every week","Cobalt",244.61,252.61,-3.17,3.99,97.72,[122,123,124,127,129,132,133,136,138,141,143,146],{"date":19,"value":116},{"date":25,"value":117},{"date":125,"value":126},"2026-03-25",252.45,{"date":28,"value":128},252.84,{"date":130,"value":131},"2026-03-11",253.48,{"date":31,"value":126},{"date":134,"value":135},"2026-02-25",256.64,{"date":34,"value":137},255.58,{"date":139,"value":140},"2026-02-11",253.31,{"date":37,"value":142},252.26,{"date":144,"value":145},"2026-01-28",241.15,{"date":40,"value":145},"/cobalt/prices",{"publishedDate":149,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":150,"today":151,"last":152,"percentageChange":153,"yearToDate":154,"yearOnYear":155,"oneYearIndexTrend":156,"url":185,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-05-20","Nickel",135.83,133.05,2.09,12.5,30.68,[157,158,160,163,166,168,170,172,174,176,179,182],{"date":149,"value":151},{"date":159,"value":152},"2026-05-06",{"date":161,"value":162},"2026-04-22",125.43,{"date":164,"value":165},"2026-04-08",124.51,{"date":125,"value":167},123.94,{"date":130,"value":169},123.51,{"date":134,"value":171},122.7,{"date":139,"value":173},123.79,{"date":144,"value":175},128.07,{"date":177,"value":178},"2026-01-14",120.74,{"date":180,"value":181},"2025-12-31",104.29,{"date":183,"value":184},"2025-12-17",103.44,"/nickel/prices",{"publishedDate":187,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":189,"today":190,"last":191,"percentageChange":192,"yearToDate":193,"yearOnYear":194,"oneYearIndexTrend":195,"url":227,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-04-30","monthly","Natural Graphite",82.93,82.39,0.66,1.66,-0.87,[196,197,199,202,205,207,210,212,215,218,221,224],{"date":187,"value":190},{"date":198,"value":191},"2026-03-31",{"date":200,"value":201},"2026-02-27",81.92,{"date":203,"value":204},"2026-01-30",81.69,{"date":180,"value":206},81.58,{"date":208,"value":209},"2025-11-28",81.35,{"date":211,"value":209},"2025-10-31",{"date":213,"value":214},"2025-09-30",81.74,{"date":216,"value":217},"2025-08-29",81.56,{"date":219,"value":220},"2025-07-31",82.47,{"date":222,"value":223},"2025-06-30",83.13,{"date":225,"value":226},"2025-05-30",83.77,"/natural-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":187,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":229,"today":230,"last":231,"percentageChange":232,"yearToDate":233,"yearOnYear":234,"oneYearIndexTrend":235,"url":258,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Anode Coke",84.01,79.79,5.29,12.86,12.75,[236,237,238,240,242,244,246,248,250,252,254,256],{"date":187,"value":230},{"date":198,"value":231},{"date":200,"value":239},75.72,{"date":203,"value":241},74.61,{"date":180,"value":243},74.44,{"date":208,"value":245},76,{"date":211,"value":247},72.75,{"date":213,"value":249},71.92,{"date":216,"value":251},71.46,{"date":219,"value":253},70.35,{"date":222,"value":255},67.35,{"date":225,"value":257},65.78,"/synthetic-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":260,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":261,"today":262,"last":263,"percentageChange":264,"yearToDate":265,"yearOnYear":265,"oneYearIndexTrend":266,"url":295,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-11-17","Anode",77.79,77.96,-0.22,-1.93,[267,268,270,272,274,277,280,282,284,287,290,292],{"date":260,"value":262},{"date":269,"value":263},"2025-10-15",{"date":271,"value":263},"2025-09-15",{"date":273,"value":263},"2025-08-15",{"date":275,"value":276},"2025-07-15",77.93,{"date":278,"value":279},"2025-06-16",78.88,{"date":281,"value":279},"2025-05-15",{"date":283,"value":279},"2025-04-15",{"date":285,"value":286},"2025-03-17",79.89,{"date":288,"value":289},"2025-02-17",78.97,{"date":291,"value":289},"2025-01-15",{"date":293,"value":294},"2024-12-16",79.32,"/anode/prices",{"publishedDate":297,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":298,"today":299,"last":300,"percentageChange":301,"yearToDate":301,"yearOnYear":302,"oneYearIndexTrend":303,"url":327,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-01-15","Cathode",72.79,64.08,13.59,43.38,[304,305,307,309,311,313,315,317,318,320,322,325],{"date":297,"value":299},{"date":306,"value":300},"2025-12-15",{"date":260,"value":308},62.01,{"date":269,"value":310},53.51,{"date":271,"value":312},49.5,{"date":273,"value":314},47.28,{"date":275,"value":316},46.05,{"date":278,"value":316},{"date":281,"value":319},48.08,{"date":283,"value":321},48.92,{"date":323,"value":324},"2025-03-18",52.79,{"date":288,"value":326},50.86,"/cathode/prices",{"publishedDate":329,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":330,"today":331,"last":332,"percentageChange":333,"yearToDate":334,"yearOnYear":335,"oneYearIndexTrend":336,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-03-31","Lithium ion Batteries",74.53,71.3,4.53,-1.6,-20.88,[337,338,340,343,346,349,352,355,358,361,364,367],{"date":329,"value":331},{"date":339,"value":332},"2025-02-28",{"date":341,"value":342},"2025-01-31",71.45,{"date":344,"value":345},"2024-12-31",75.74,{"date":347,"value":348},"2024-11-29",76.98,{"date":350,"value":351},"2024-10-31",77.34,{"date":353,"value":354},"2024-09-30",77.43,{"date":356,"value":357},"2024-08-30",80.56,{"date":359,"value":360},"2024-07-31",82.99,{"date":362,"value":363},"2024-06-28",87.2,{"date":365,"value":366},"2024-05-31",90.7,{"date":368,"value":369},"2024-04-30",93.2,"/battery-gigafactory/prices",{"publishedDate":372,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":373,"today":374,"last":375,"percentageChange":376,"yearToDate":377,"yearOnYear":378,"oneYearIndexTrend":379,"url":411,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-05-21","Black Mass",54.15,51.47,5.21,25.5,92.33,[380,381,383,386,389,392,395,398,401,404,406,408],{"date":372,"value":374},{"date":382,"value":375},"2026-05-07",{"date":384,"value":385},"2026-04-23",48.63,{"date":387,"value":388},"2026-04-09",48.6,{"date":390,"value":391},"2026-03-26",47.29,{"date":393,"value":394},"2026-03-12",46.18,{"date":396,"value":397},"2026-02-26",45.8,{"date":399,"value":400},"2026-02-12",47.34,{"date":402,"value":403},"2026-01-29",49.57,{"date":297,"value":405},43.15,{"date":180,"value":407},47.05,{"date":409,"value":410},"2025-12-18",41.51,"/recycling/black-mass-prices",{"publishedDate":413,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":414,"today":415,"last":416,"percentageChange":417,"yearToDate":418,"yearOnYear":419,"oneYearIndexTrend":420,"url":449,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-03-19","Rare Earths",172.27,182.38,-5.54,20.73,54.49,[421,422,424,427,430,432,435,437,440,443,445,447],{"date":413,"value":415},{"date":423,"value":416},"2026-03-05",{"date":425,"value":426},"2026-02-19",179.86,{"date":428,"value":429},"2026-02-05",155.4,{"date":431,"value":429},"2026-01-22",{"date":433,"value":434},"2026-01-08",145.37,{"date":46,"value":436},142.69,{"date":438,"value":439},"2025-12-11",141.67,{"date":441,"value":442},"2025-11-27",136.29,{"date":211,"value":444},132.15,{"date":213,"value":446},139.82,{"date":216,"value":448},145.27,"/rare-earths/prices",{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":451,"today":452,"last":453,"percentageChange":454,"yearToDate":455,"yearOnYear":456,"oneYearIndexTrend":457,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"LFP",111.93,124.92,-10.4,-2.67,-3.42,[458,459,460,462,464,466,469,471,473,475,477,479],{"date":213,"value":452},{"date":216,"value":453},{"date":219,"value":461},109.9,{"date":222,"value":463},100.47,{"date":225,"value":465},103.62,{"date":467,"value":468},"2025-04-30",109.47,{"date":329,"value":470},115.87,{"date":339,"value":472},117.3,{"date":341,"value":474},114.57,{"date":344,"value":476},115,{"date":347,"value":478},117.82,{"date":350,"value":480},111.9,{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":482,"today":483,"last":484,"percentageChange":485,"yearToDate":486,"yearOnYear":487,"oneYearIndexTrend":488,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM High-Nickel",99.44,96.91,2.61,2.37,-3.84,[489,490,491,493,495,497,499,501,503,505,506,508],{"date":213,"value":483},{"date":216,"value":484},{"date":219,"value":492},97.09,{"date":222,"value":494},94.93,{"date":225,"value":496},97.13,{"date":467,"value":498},97.89,{"date":329,"value":500},101.4,{"date":339,"value":502},93.25,{"date":341,"value":504},98.94,{"date":344,"value":496},{"date":347,"value":507},98.69,{"date":350,"value":509},101.87,{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":511,"today":512,"last":513,"percentageChange":514,"yearToDate":515,"yearOnYear":516,"oneYearIndexTrend":517,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM Mid-Nickel",103.5,99.73,3.78,13.78,6.78,[518,519,520,522,524,526,528,530,532,534,536,538],{"date":213,"value":512},{"date":216,"value":513},{"date":219,"value":521},99.19,{"date":222,"value":523},96.02,{"date":225,"value":525},98.23,{"date":467,"value":527},99.24,{"date":329,"value":529},101.29,{"date":339,"value":531},87.61,{"date":341,"value":533},92.44,{"date":344,"value":535},90.96,{"date":347,"value":537},92.24,{"date":350,"value":539},95.09,{"id":541,"uuid":542,"name":543,"slug":544,"full_slug":545,"content":546,"relatedArticles":843,"relatedVideos":844},112467442647963,"20126e77-da60-4871-ae3b-7385ff242492","Benchmark life cycle assessment reveals environmental impact of China’s rare earth production","benchmark-life-cycle-assessment-reveals-environmental-impact-of-chinas-rare-earth-production","article/benchmark-life-cycle-assessment-reveals-environmental-impact-of-chinas-rare-earth-production",{"_uid":547,"date":548,"tags":549,"editor":559,"content":569,"excerpt":816,"featured":50,"reporter":817,"_editable":821,"component":822,"seo_title":823,"categories":824,"visibility":833,"author_company":49,"data_vis_image":834,"featured_image":837,"seo_description":840,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":841,"formattedArticleDate":842},"b3f57819-a345-444b-821d-e6f8693f9ff1","2025-07-16 00:00",[550,553,556],{"slug":551,"name":552},"china","China",{"slug":554,"name":555},"myanmar","Myanmar",{"slug":557,"name":558},"esg","ESG",[560],{"slug":561,"name":562,"content":563},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":564,"image":565,"bio":567,"linkedin":568},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":566},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/14738033ec/matthew-bird.jpeg","Matthew writes, edits and produces content for Benchmark Intelligence and Benchmark Source across the whole mine to grid supply chain. He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":570,"content":571},"doc",[572,602,652,674,682,717,725,746,755,768,773,784,806,811],{"type":573,"attrs":574,"content":575},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[576,584,597],{"text":577,"type":578,"marks":579},"China's dominance over global rare earths mining and refining comes with severe environmental and ecological costs, the ","text",[580],{"type":581,"attrs":582},"textStyle",{"color":583},"#3C3C39",{"text":585,"type":578,"marks":586},"Benchmark Rare Earths Global Life Cycle Assessment",[587,592,595],{"type":588,"attrs":589},"link",{"href":590,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/lca","url",{"type":581,"attrs":593},{"color":594},"#0969D7",{"type":596},"underline",{"text":598,"type":578,"marks":599}," (LCA) shows.",[600],{"type":581,"attrs":601},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":603,"content":604},{"textAlign":49},[605,610,619,624,633,638,647],{"text":606,"type":578,"marks":607},"In 2025, ",[608],{"type":581,"attrs":609},{"color":583},{"text":611,"type":578,"marks":612},"Chinese producers are set to account for 71% and 90% of the global mined and refined rare earths supplies",[613,616,618],{"type":588,"attrs":614},{"href":615,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/in-charts-chinas-rare-earths-monopoly",{"type":581,"attrs":617},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":620,"type":578,"marks":621},", respectively, according to ",[622],{"type":581,"attrs":623},{"color":583},{"text":625,"type":578,"marks":626},"Benchmark's Rare Earths Forecast",[627,630,632],{"type":588,"attrs":628},{"href":629,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/rare-earths/supply-chain-data",{"type":581,"attrs":631},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":634,"type":578,"marks":635},". ",[636],{"type":581,"attrs":637},{"color":583},{"text":639,"type":578,"marks":640},"Bayan Obo, located in China's Inner Mongolia province, is the world's largest rare earths mine",[641,644,646],{"type":588,"attrs":642},{"href":643,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/higher-prices-needed-to-develop-ex-china-rare-earths-supply",{"type":581,"attrs":645},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":648,"type":578,"marks":649},"—producing nearly 50% of global mined supply this year.",[650],{"type":581,"attrs":651},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":653,"content":654},{"textAlign":49},[655,660,669],{"text":656,"type":578,"marks":657},"Traditional mining techniques used at Bayan Obo have significant ecological impacts, including water contamination, ",[658],{"type":581,"attrs":659},{"color":583},{"text":661,"type":578,"marks":662},"radioactive waste leakage",[663,666,668],{"type":588,"attrs":664},{"href":665,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/why-western-rare-earths-producers-must-act-on-radioactive-waste",{"type":581,"attrs":667},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":670,"type":578,"marks":671},", and air pollution. These issues pose risks not only to the local environment and communities but also to the long-term viability of rare earth supply chains.",[672],{"type":581,"attrs":673},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":675,"content":676},{"textAlign":49},[677],{"text":678,"type":578,"marks":679},"LCA identifies major environmental hotspots at Bayan Obo",[680],{"type":581,"attrs":681},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":683,"content":684},{"textAlign":49},[685,690,698,703,712],{"text":686,"type":578,"marks":687},"Benchmark's Rare Earths ",[688],{"type":581,"attrs":689},{"color":583},{"text":691,"type":578,"marks":692},"LCA",[693,695,697],{"type":588,"attrs":694},{"href":590,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},{"type":581,"attrs":696},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":699,"type":578,"marks":700}," assesses the production route of ",[701],{"type":581,"attrs":702},{"color":583},{"text":704,"type":578,"marks":705},"praseodymium-neodymium (PrNd) oxide",[706,709,711],{"type":588,"attrs":707},{"href":708,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/glossary/what-is-rare-earths",{"type":581,"attrs":710},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":713,"type":578,"marks":714}," in Bayan Obo, China, showing that dangerously high levels of ionising radiation (3.0 kBq U-235 eq) and carcinogenic human toxicity (1.54×10-6 CTUh) are generated per kg of PrNd oxide produced.",[715],{"type":581,"attrs":716},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":718,"content":719},{"textAlign":49},[720],{"text":721,"type":578,"marks":722},"The production of hydrochloric acid from chlorine requires a significant amount of coal-fired electricity, combined with the direct emissions of naturally occurring radioactive materials, this give rise to the ionising radiation impact.",[723],{"type":581,"attrs":724},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":726,"content":727},{"textAlign":49},[728,733,741],{"text":729,"type":578,"marks":730},"This highlights the need to source hydrochloric acid from cleaner sources, as well as the need to adopt measures to minimise ",[731],{"type":581,"attrs":732},{"color":583},{"text":734,"type":578,"marks":735},"radioactive materials leakage and exposure",[736,738,740],{"type":588,"attrs":737},{"href":665,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},{"type":581,"attrs":739},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":742,"type":578,"marks":743}," during mining and processing.",[744],{"type":581,"attrs":745},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":747,"content":748},{"textAlign":49},[749],{"type":750,"attrs":751},"image",{"id":49,"alt":752,"src":753,"title":49,"source":49,"copyright":49,"meta_data":754},"","https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdZ0GByb-uPw0vBFvu330631klrn5z4KKErL5fCoAbssFBsQpJl8GL7Ki5BuRI_QYby6w-eMJT4qoU22ItimPbCxEXs0Uar4CGY8C5Wu6WiKfXYnMvV209l-BekHFzkvlHa4tJ3WQ?key=GKH9D17Oc6bUWQFQ5J-W-g",{},{"type":573,"attrs":756,"content":757},{"textAlign":49},[758,760,766],{"text":759,"type":578},"According to",{"text":761,"type":578,"marks":762}," Benchmark’s Rare Earths Sustainability Index",[763],{"type":588,"attrs":764},{"href":765,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/rare-earths/sustainability/overview",{"text":767,"type":578},", 100% of current mined rare earths supply in China originates from companies classified as having ‘Moderate Visibility’ on sustainability issues. This is the second lowest tier in the Sustainability Index . ",{"type":573,"attrs":769,"content":770},{"textAlign":49},[771],{"text":772,"type":578},"Based on current sustainability practices, this classification profile is projected to remain relatively unchanged until 2040.",{"type":774,"attrs":775},"blok",{"id":776,"body":777},"90e588d1-a8e5-49bf-8e34-02ea25526f0c",[778],{"id":779,"_uid":780,"type":781,"_editable":782,"component":783,"fixed_height":752,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":752,"fixed_height_tablet":752},"24198270","i-ebaca824-6d70-4574-9757-c267963e049e","visualisation","\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"ContentFlourish\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"i-ebaca824-6d70-4574-9757-c267963e049e\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","ContentFlourish",{"type":573,"attrs":785,"content":786},{"textAlign":49},[787,792,801],{"text":788,"type":578,"marks":789},"Growing global awareness of environmental degradation stemming from mining practices, as well as tightening of environmental regulations—particularly with the rise of mining standards such as ",[790],{"type":581,"attrs":791},{"color":583},{"text":793,"type":578,"marks":794},"The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)",[795,798,800],{"type":588,"attrs":796},{"href":797,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":591},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/all-chilean-lithium-rated-to-worlds-most-rigorous-standard",{"type":581,"attrs":799},{"color":594},{"type":596},{"text":802,"type":578,"marks":803},"—has led China to increasingly shift parts of its rare earths mining operations to neighbouring countries.",[804],{"type":581,"attrs":805},{"color":583},{"type":573,"attrs":807,"content":808},{"textAlign":49},[809],{"text":810,"type":578},"This is evident at the Myanmar-China border, particularly in the Kachin area and the rising Shan region near the Thailand-China border, as verified by Benchmark’s GIS team. ",{"type":573,"attrs":812,"content":813},{"textAlign":49},[814],{"text":815,"type":578},"However, these overseas mining operations, while economically strategic, often do not uphold the environmental standards enforced domestically in China. In many cases, such standards are absent or weakly enforced, raising further sustainability and ethical concerns about China’s rare earth supply chain diversification.","China’s dominance over global rare earths mining and refining comes with severe environmental and ecological costs, the Benchmark Rare Earths Global Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) shows. In 2025, Chinese producers are set to account for 71% and 90% of the global mined and refined rare earths supplies, respectively, according to Benchmark’s Rare Earths Forecast. Bayan […]",[818],{"slug":561,"name":562,"content":819},{"job_title":564,"image":820,"bio":567,"linkedin":568},{"filename":566},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"b3f57819-a345-444b-821d-e6f8693f9ff1\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article","Life cycle assessment environmental impact of China’s rare earth ",[825,828,830],{"slug":826,"name":827},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":829,"name":414},"rare-earths",{"slug":831,"name":832},"sustainability","Sustainability","private",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":752,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":752,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":835,"meta_data":836},"asset",{},{"id":49,"alt":752,"name":752,"focus":752,"title":752,"source":752,"filename":838,"copyright":752,"fieldtype":835,"meta_data":839,"is_external_url":51},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/96d8a6ecdb/bm-rare-earths-mine.jpg",{"alt":752,"title":752,"source":752,"copyright":752},"China’s dominance over global rare earths mining and refining comes with severe environmental and ecological costs,  Rare Earths Global Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) shows. In 2025, Chinese producers are set to account for 71% and […]","Jul 16, 2025","16th July 2025",[],[],1780670052030]