In addition to a recently launched special operation to crack down on the smuggling and illegal export of strategic minerals, China plans to initiate a series of further actions in the near future, which will cover the medium and heavy rare earths that are subject to the export controls that came into effect earlier, according to a post on the Weibo official account of CCTV's Yuyuantantian.

US research institutions had previously expressed concern that China's rare earth controls would leave the US unable to fill the supply gap, as over 90% of rare earths are currently refined and processed in China.