Yn ogystal â'r materion geo-wleidyddol sy'n deillio o ddibynnu ar un wlad ar gyfer adnoddau naturiol, mae arferion presennol yn golygu bod yr adnodd cyfyngedig hwn yn cael ei ddisbyddu. Mae hynny'n arwain at faterion amgylcheddol sy'n peri pryder, gan gynnwys pryderon am gynaliadwyedd hirdymor dosbarthu deunydd “prinfwyn” ledled y byd.
In addition to the geo-political issues that result from relying on one country for natural resources, current practices mean this finite resource is being depleted, which results in worrying environmental issues, including concerns about the long-term sustainability of distributing “rare earth” material around the globe.