February 24, 2025April 25, 2025BlogISMC-Iberiamine

Rare Earths, geopolitics, and the global economy: the tension over key resources

The rare earths market has become a key stage in international geopolitics. Santiago Cuesta López, General Director of the ISMC cluster, participated as an expert in a report broadcasted on La Sexta Fin de Semana news, which addressed the growing global dispute over these strategic resources.

The International Conflict and Resource Control

The report highlights the statements of former US President Donald Trump, who demands guarantees from Ukraine in exchange for the military aid provided in the conflict with Russia. Among his main demands are access to oil and rare earths, essential materials for the global technological and energy industries.

According to Cuesta López, Ukraine, with 5% of the planet’s critical raw materials, positions itself as a key player in this dispute. However, China’s dominance in the extraction and processing of these materials creates a power imbalance that challenges the stability of the market. Currently, the Asian giant controls a significant portion of global production, giving it a strategic advantage in key sectors such as the aerospace industry, battery manufacturing, and the transition to clean energy.

Impact on the Economy and the Technological Industry

Access to rare earths has become a decisive factor in the global economy. “These materials, essential for the manufacture of microchips, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and defence systems, have now become a point of friction in international relations,” explains Cuesta López in one of his interventions. The West’s dependence on China in this sector has led it to seek alternatives to ensure a safe and diversified supply.

In this context, the role of Ukraine and other countries with reserves of critical raw materials is becoming increasingly important. The need to establish new alliances and develop extraction and processing infrastructures outside of China is a challenge that will shape the future of geopolitics and the global economy.

To learn more about this analysis and its impact on the international landscape, you can access the full report here.

Rare Earths, geopolitics, and the global economy: the tension over key resources

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Instituto para la Competitividad Empresarial
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Ingeniería
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de Baleares, S.L

Grupo
Hedisa Cor S.L

Grupo
de Investigación TEP222
de la Universidad de Jaén

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y construcciones S.A

Confederación Nacional
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y la Metalurgia

Colegio Oficial
de Ingenieros
de Minas del Centro de España

Cinclus Soluciones
S.L