Platinum Pulse
Jamaica's $12 Billion Secret That China Doesn't Want You to Know
#JamaicaRareEarth #ChinaMonopoly #RareEarthMetals
Jamaica's rare earth metals could reshape the global mineral supply chain — and challenge China's monopoly over the most critical elements powering modern technology.
For over 75 years, Jamaica's bauxite industry has generated millions of tonnes of red mud waste. That waste, according to peer-reviewed science, contains the highest concentration of scandium found in any red mud on Earth — up to 260 mg/kg, ten times the crustal average. Scandium alone holds 95% of the rare earth economic value in red mud.
In April 2025, China restricted exports of seven rare earth elements — including scandium and yttrium — sending shockwaves through global defense, automotive, and tech industries. Rare earth magnet shipments to the U.S. fell by 93.3%. The world is now racing to find alternatives.
This video traces the full story: how China built its mineral monopoly from Deng Xiaoping's 1992 declaration to the 2025 export restrictions, how Jamaica became the world's leading bauxite producer by 1957, the Japan-Jamaica Nippon Light Metal pilot project that proved extraction technology works, the $800 million ElementUS venture targeting Jamaican red mud sitting in Louisiana, Bobby Stewart's Geophysx discovery of a 50-million-tonne rare earth deposit, and the unresolved legal question of who owns the rare earths in Jamaica's red mud — whether stored on the island or shipped abroad.
All facts in this video are sourced from peer-reviewed research, government statements, verified news reporting, and official industry data. Key sources listed below.
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SOURCES
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• Borra et al. (2016) - "Extraction of rare earths from bauxite residue (red mud)" - ScienceDirect
• Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) - Official statements and parliamentary records
• Jamaica Information Service (JIS) - Nippon Light Metal handover report, October 2014
• Phys.org / Associated Press - "Jamaica breaks ground on rare-earth project," February 2013
• Jamaica Observer - Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee Rotary Club address, February 2013
• Jamaica Gleaner - Multiple editorials (April 2023, July 2023, March 2025, March 2026)
• Geophysx Jamaica Ltd. / InvestorNews - REE deposit announcement, February 2023
• Louisiana Economic Development (LED) - ElementUS $800M announcement, March 2021
• CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) - China rare earth export restrictions analysis, 2025
• China Briefing - "China's Rare Earth Elements" report, 2025
• IEA (International Energy Agency) - Rare earth processing data, 2024-2025
• USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries - Scandium, January 2024
• University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology - REEP Podcast with Chris Young, 2025
• Mordor Intelligence - Scandium Market Report, 2025-2026
• GQG Partners - "Critical Dependence on Rare-Earth Minerals," November 2025
• CNBC, Fortune, Al Jazeera, Reuters - China export restriction coverage, 2025
• ICSOBA - "The Evolution of Bauxite Mining in Jamaica," 2018
• Wesley Hughes - Jamaica Gleaner commentary, December 2024
• ResearchGate - Wagh and Pinnock (1987) - "Occurrence of scandium and rare earth elements in Jamaican bauxite waste"
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DISCLAIMER
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This video is produced for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or mining advice. All statistics, claims, and quotes are sourced from publicly available research, government records, and verified news reporting as cited above. Where specific claims have not been independently verified in peer-reviewed literature, this is noted in the narration. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any decisions based on the content of this video. The views expressed are those of the creators and do not necessarily represent the positions of any government, institution, or company mentioned.
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#Scandium #Jamaica #Bauxite #RedMud #CriticalMinerals #Geopolitics #ChinaExportBan #RareEarthCrisis #JamaicaEconomy #MiningIndustry #SupplyChain #CaribbeanEconomy
Published May 23, 2026