You've probably heard of 'rare earths', but may not know what they are and why people are worried about them.

China’s rare earth production exceeds that of the world’s second largest producer – the United States – by more than 100,000 tonnes per year, accounting for at least 58% of global rare earth elements (REE) production last year; Australia itself has the world’s sixth-largest reserves of rare earth minerals, yet these deposits remain largely untapped.

In this ASPI explainer, Dr John Coyne outlines what rare earth elements are, why they are strategically important, and how Australia can position itself to become a global leader within the industry.