China produces about 95 percent of the world's rare earths; meanwhile, former Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping declared provocatively, "The Middle East has oil; China has rare earths."
WILLIAM PERRY PENDLEY: The threats to America's minerals →
Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping once famously quipped that while the Middle East had oil, China had rare earths.
Nations wary of dependence on China's rare earths →
