Taliban officials have discussed joining China's Belt and Road scheme, plus possible road and rail links and mining deals, but analysts say there are no easy infrastructure options in Afghanistan

Police arrested the chairman of Vietnam Rare Earth JSC (VTRE) — a company at the forefront of the country’s drive to boost its rare earth industry and rival China

Both gallium and germanium are key to chipmaking, and Chinese exporters of the metals now need to obtain an export licence for dual-use items and technologies

China is the world's top graphite exporter and refines more than 90% of the world's graphite into the material used in virtually all EV batteries

China has already claimed exclusive rights to excavate 92,000 square miles of international seabed

Two-day event in Beijing will mark 10th anniversary of infrastructure scheme and may see talks on links to Afghanistan, plus possible mining projects

The move will likely be announced at a summit with the US, which had asked Brussels to move against Chinese steel producers

Australia's richest person is now the largest shareholder in Liontown Resources, which has one of the world's most exciting lithium deposits, as well as contracts to supply Ford and Tesla

The announcement came after customs data showed China had completely blocked its exports of germanium and gallium products in August

China exported no wrought germanium products last month, compared to 8.63 metric tons in July when volumes doubled from June as foreign buyers rushed to lock in supply ahead of export curbs

Shanghai Futures Exchange has been studying the nickel market, and may launch nickel contracts on its International Energy Exchange, sources say

Myanmar, one the world’s leading producers of rare earths metals, has suspended mining for inspections, sending prices to 16-month highs