What are rare earth minerals, and why are they central to Trump’s trade war?

New York CNN —

The US trade war with China has a major sticking point: rare earths minerals.

Last month, President Donald Trump said the United States needed Greenland “very badly,” renewing his threat to annex the Danish territory. Greenland is a resource-rich island with a plentiful supply of critical minerals, a category that also includes rare earths elements, under its ice sheet. Trump also signed a “ rare earth deal ” with Ukraine.

The tussle over rare earths precedes the current administration. China for years has built up near-total control of the materials as part of its wider industrial policy .

Here’s what you need to know about rare earths.

What are rare earths, and are they actually ‘rare?’

Rare earths are 17 metallic elements in the periodic table made up of