An Under the Radar Rare Earth Comment From Elon Musk Could Upend Another Industry

Elon Musk says a lot of things that can upend the shares of any number of companies. Rare earths are a group of more than a dozen elements that aren’t exactly rare, but they are difficult to process. Over the years, the Chinese have grown dominant in rare earth mining and production, using near-monopoly power to put other producers, including those in the U.S., out of business.