Charles Lew promises more independence from China

Bangkok If you want to get to the place from which Charles Lew would like to supply German industry with a crucial raw material for the transport and energy transition, you have a long way to go. From the Western Australian metropolis of Perth, it’s a two-hour fan flight north, then a six-hour drive through the semi-desert by car. The goal is a dusty area called Yangibana, which Lew says holds a treasure beneath the red-brown soil: one of the highest concentrations of rare earths in the world.

The market for the metals that are in demand, which are needed for electric cars, wind turbines and smartphones, has so far been dominated by China. This raises concerns that the Beijing government could use supplies as a bargaining chip.