One of the reasons that rare metals have been hammered in the US these last years, is because China companies have been "illegally" overproducing. According to Reuters, "China will cap rare earth production at 93,800 tonnes over the whole of 2013 as part of efforts to rein in unlicensed production in the sector, the country's land and resources ministry said on Friday."
This could be good news for USA, Russia and other leaders in rare metals.

prof