US rare earths flow to Asia as domestic demand is slow to emerge

The US is struggling to develop a domestic rare earth supply chain despite efforts from the Trump administration. Rare earths are being exported to Asia, specifically Japan and South Korea, where they are being purchased by miners backed by the Trump administration. This is a setback for the US goal of becoming self-sufficient in rare earth production. The slow emergence of domestic demand is hindering the development of a US rare earth supply chain. The situation highlights the challenges of developing a domestic supply chain for critical materials.