Here's a presentation to Congress by Molycorp, the company referenced in the article as the owner of the Californian mine (the largest rare-earth metal mine outside China): <a href="http://www.molycorp.com/pdf/MMCEMARCH09.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.molycorp.com/pdf/MMCEMARCH09.pdf</a><p>Two observations from the presentation:<p>a) it is an interesting example of how to lobby for government funding, and<p>b) looking at the hybrid vehicle supply chain figure, it is startling how dependent the future of clean energy is on magnets which are made from rare-earth metals: magnets play a big role conversion of mechanical energy to electrical energy - wind, hydro, wave turbines require magnets, and vice versa (permanent magnet motors for hybrids, electric vehicles etc.)