Part 4/8:
To achieve true independence, Australia must cultivate its own rare earth refining industry, which is pivotal in the value chain of rare earth processing. The refining process, where significant value addition occurs, remains heavily concentrated in China. Experts indicate that even if Australia manages to segment rare earth elements, it would still require Chinese support for the subsequent refining stages. The implications are clear: as it stands, everything seems to funnel back to China.