By the beginning of 2015: "Despite having only 35% of the world's reserves, China accounted for 95% of the world's production of rare earths, and countries such as the United States or Japan, large consumers of these elements, depended mainly on China to stock up. In fact, given the expected increase in this demand, several countries began to consider the possibility of extracting these oxides, often under the protests of organizations defending the environment, to prevent China from controlling the world price of what no one else doubt that it is the input of the future. "
http://www.vidasostenible.org/informes/tierras-raras-elevados-danos-ambientales-ocasionados-por-la-fabricacion-tecnologica/
What we are observing right now in 2018, should be the result, in part, of the studies carried out by Japan and probably the United States, to look for supply alternatives.
could be.
there's not ONLY the ocean
there are asteroids. (space)
no telling what riches they have.
preliminary steps (by private enterprise) are being taken right now to mine them
I did not know it.