Whereas China has decided to reduce significantly its exports of Rare earths metals, the consumer countries, mainly Japan, South Korea, the United States and Germany, are looking for alternative partners, and have thus been eying Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and even Tajikistan. For these three countries, it is a global conjuncture that is at once an economic opportunity to boost state revenues, and a strategic opportunity, as producing rare earths could give them unprecedented visibility on the international arena. They have therefore made forays into the exploration and exploitation of rare earths, even if many questions still remain up in the air in terms of foreign investment conditions in these states, of corruption, and of respect of ecological norms. […]
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