Despite a detente on China’s restrictions on the critical manufacturing inputs, shipments remain far below last year’s levels.

July 7 (Reuters) - China's export restrictions on rare earths brought parts of the global auto supply chain to a halt and U.S. President Donald Trump to the negotiating table. But at home, they're a big headache for companies already struggling with a slow economy.

China arrests suspects involved in smuggling strategic minerals, and authorities warn of ‘increasingly covert’ tactics to evade detection.