en.Wedoany.com Reported - Global law firm White & Case released an analysis report in June 2026, stating that the U.S.-led construction of an alternative rare earth supply chain is transitioning from policy vision to actual execution. The report believes that the next 18 months will be a critical transition period for diversifying the rare earth supply chain from vision to commercially viable reality. Currently, global demand for rare earth elements continues to grow, while China controls over 60% of the world's rare earth production.
White & Case is one of the world's leading international law firms, founded in 1901 and headquartered in New York, USA, with offices in over 30 countries and regions globally, possessing deep legal service experience in the mining, energy, and commodity trading sectors. The firm has been active in the rare earth field recently, providing legal services in April 2026 for the business merger between Serra Verde Group and U.S. Rare Earths, valued at approximately $2.8 billion.
The report points out that the rare earth supply chain is a highly interdependent cross-stage system, where mining is not the limiting factor; the real bottlenecks lie in refining, alloying, and magnet manufacturing. White & Case believes that diversification is no longer a theoretical concept—capital is flowing in, projects are advancing, and governments are participating. However, the report also emphasizes that building a complete industrial chain from refining to magnet manufacturing will still take time, and the current stage should be viewed as a "transition period" toward the goal of diversification.
At the industry practice level, the U.S. Department of Energy announced in June 2026 an investment of $134 million to strengthen the domestic rare earth supply chain; U.S. Rare Earths announced on June 18 an investment of $1.2 billion to build processing facilities in South Carolina. Lawyers at White & Case have observed a significant increase in interest from international investors in Japan and the Middle East in U.S. mining and critical mineral projects. White & Case's 2026 Mining and Metals Survey shows that 32% of respondents believe strategic partnerships will be the primary form of transactions this year.
White & Case's report provides a professional perspective on the changing landscape of the global rare earth supply chain. The next 18 months will be a critical window to verify whether diversification can transition from policy documents to commercial reality, with breakthroughs in refining and magnet manufacturing capabilities being the core variables determining the success or failure of this process.
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