China produces 70% of the rare earths and metals needed to convert wind and solar energy into electricity.

Omissions

• The claim conflates two distinct stages: China's share of rare earth MINING (~60-70%) differs from its share of REFINING/PROCESSING (~90%+) and permanent-magnet manufacturing (~94%); the 70% figure understates China's grip on the processing stage most relevant to converting wind/solar energy into electricity.
• The claim also groups 'rare earths' together with 'metals and substances' generally; the 70% figure applies specifically to rare earths, not to all critical minerals used in renewables (e.g. China's share of refined lithium/cobalt is 70-75%, but of copper refining only ~44%).
• Sources give a range for the mining share (IEA: ~60% for magnet rare earths; USGS/Statista: ~69-70% of total mine production), so the precise percentage depends on definition and year.

Sources

• PrimaryIEA — Rare Earth Elements (Executive summary)In 2024, the People's Republic of China accounted for 60% of global mined production of magnet rare earths. For refining, the level of concentration is more pronounced, as the country represented 91% of global refined output. Its share is even higher for permanent magnet production ... its share expanded significantly to reach 94% in 2024.
• PrimaryIEA — Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 (Executive summary)China also accounts for a significant share of global mining output for many critical minerals, including 22% for lithium, 61% for REEs and 87% for natural graphite. Its influence is even stronger in refining, with ... a more than 90% share of REE and battery-grade graphite refining.
• SecondaryStatista — Distribution of rare earth production worldwide as of 2025, by countryAs of 2025, China produced nearly 70 percent of the total global rare earth mine production. In a distant second place was the United States, accounting for a 13.1 percent share of the global rare earth production that year.
• SecondaryCongressional Research Service — Rare Earth Elements and U.S. Supply Chains (citing USGS 2025)In 2025, the largest REE mine production was in China (270,000 metric tons [MT] of rare earth oxide equivalent [REO]), followed by the United States (51,000 MT ...), Australia (29,000 MT), and Burma (22,000 MT). ... The People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) mines about 60% and processes and separates about 90% of global REEs. It also manufactures about 94% of REE-based magnets.