These are after all mines, often big mines, and the minerals extracted require complex and challenging refining to separate the chemically similar constellations of rare earth elements that are always collocated in various mineral concentrations and combinations.

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Thus reducing the number of mines we need and the new minerals we must dig up.

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For instance, Chinese producers of rare-earth minerals first drove down prices to uneconomic levels, and this led to the closing of mines elsewhere.

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Amplats, 80%-owned by minerals giant Anglo American, plans to lay off up to 14, 000 workers and shut two mines in an effort to return to profitability.

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