Earth

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (UPI) — South Korea will seek closer cooperation with China to stabilize supplies of rare earth minerals critical to its high-tech industries, the government said Thursday, as Seoul unveiled a strategy to strengthen supply chain security.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced a comprehensive plan calling for expanded cooperation channels with Beijing, including the establishment of a government-to-government hotline and joint consultative body to help prevent supply disruptions.

The initiative comes as South Korea, one of the world’s top high-tech exporters, remains heavily reliant on imported raw materials essential to manufacturing.

“South Korea has developed advanced industries such as semiconductors, electric vehicles and batteries, but as a resource-importing country, we face many challenges in managing supply chains,” Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said during a visit to a rare earth magnet manufacturer in Daegu.

“Our national competitiveness depends on industrial resource security, and the government will focus its policy capabilities on building a resilient industrial structure that is not shaken by external changes,” he said.

Rare earth elements — a group of 17 metals used in components such as permanent magnets, electric motors and advanced electronics — are widely considered vital to next-generation manufacturing. China’s dominance of rare earth processing and refining has left global manufacturers vulnerable to export controls and geopolitical tensions.

Under the plan, South Korea will designate all 17 rare earth elements as core strategic minerals and create new customs classification codes to improve monitoring and demand forecasting.

Seoul also aims to expand domestic production and recycling capacity through regulatory reforms and subsidies for new facilities, while creating a dedicated rare earth research and development fund under an existing industrial innovation investment program.

To support overseas supply diversification, the government will increase policy loans for overseas resource development to $46.2 million this year, up from $26.6 million in 2025, while expanding the state financing coverage ratio to 70% from 50%, the ministry said.

Beyond China, South Korea said it will pursue supply partnerships with countries including Vietnam and Laos as part of efforts to diversify procurement channels and reduce reliance on any single supplier.

The announcement comes a day after South Korea was tapped to chair Washington’s Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, or FORGE, a U.S.-led framework aimed at strengthening supply chain resilience among allied economies for critical minerals and emerging technologies.

Feb. 2 (UPI) — President Donald Trump plans to launch a $12 billion stockpile of rare earth minerals to curb U.S. dependence on China.

The project is called Project Vault and it will be funded by a $10 billion loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and about $1.67 billion in private capital.

Trump’s plan seeks to procure and store rare-earth minerals that are critical to the automotive, defense, and tech industries. Minerals would be stored for use by U.S. manufacturers.

Some critical minerals that are of interest to tech companies and electric vehicle manufacturers include cobalt, lithium, titanium, silicon, nickel and graphite.

Rare earth minerals have been a focus of Trump’s during his second term. The White House said the United States was reliant on imports of minerals in 2024. Trump has since used mineral acquisition as a key point of international negotiations.

The president has also eyed Greenland for its mineral deposits. He recently alluded to invading Greenland and raising tariffs but walked back that rhetoric at the World Economic Forum last month.

Some companies that are expected to be involved in the Project Vault stockpile include General Motors, Stellantis, Boeing and Google.

I’ve been visiting the happiest country on Earth every year since I was a baby. At first glance, Finland doesn’t seem like an obvious breeding ground for happiness. In midwinter the sun only appears for two to five hours a day and temperatures can plummet to below -20C. (It would seem a warm-year-round, sunny climate is not a prerequisite to happiness.)

The World Happiness Report is based on a survey in which people rate their satisfaction with life – and the Finns have been happiest with their lot for the last eight years. Not short of marketing savvy, Visit Finland latched on to this with a “Masterclass of Happiness” advertising campaign. And it’s probably no coincidence that Lonely Planet named Finland in its 2026 Best in Travel guide as a country “for finding happiness in wild places”.

I’m half-Finnish, and I’m interested to find out what Finns think is the secret to happiness, as well as what visitors can learn from them. I started by asking my friends and family. The answer was unanimous: “It’s because we have low expectations” – a response which speaks volumes about Finns. Direct, to the point and wry.

Of course, there are societal factors, too, such as relatively high levels of education and equality. But I see another reason, one that visitors can tap into: Finland is all about the peace of mind that comes from simple pleasures, a slower pace of life and connecting with nature.

Each summer, I look forward to visiting the woods of birch and pine trees, with moss-covered granite boulders, carpeted with ferns and blueberry and lingonberry bushes. There is the joy of spotting tiny, jewel-like wild strawberries and popping them in your mouth, where the taste explodes. Then blueberry-picking season arrives, another excuse to roam the woods, container in hand – if you don’t pop them into your mouth first. These are not plump supermarket berries; they are smaller, with the concentrated essence of the forest. Finland has a unique right to roam tradition known as Jokamiehenoikeudet (Everyman’s Right), so you can follow where the berry trail takes you as long as you respect the privacy of gardens.

Finland is gaining popularity as a “coolcation” destination – an alternative to the sweltering summer heat of the Mediterranean – although last summer it experienced a 20-day heatwave of its own, turning the lake beaches riviera-like.

The area of Finland I know best is South Karelia, most of which is in Finnish Lakeland. It is dominated by the island-dotted Lake Saimaa, the fourth largest in Europe. I love swimming in the cool, soft, deep blue water that stretches to the horizon, then warming up on a sandy beach backed by the ever-present pine and birch trees. On a warm summer’s evening, there is no place I would rather be. That is happiness.

The happiness that comes from being in the woods is backed up by science. Research shows that being among pine trees increases our feeling of relaxation and reduces stress, thanks to the compounds found in the scent of trees. It’s a further encouragement to slow down and breathe in the forest air.

Many English-speaking people know only one word of Finnish, but it’s one that is another key to the nation’s happiness: sauna (pronounced by the Finns as sow-na). The rush of endorphins released by a sauna helps Finns get through the long, dark winters. In Helsinki, one of the most popular saunas on the seafront is Löyly (the Finnish word for the steam that rises when water is thrown on the hot stove). In winter, they cut a hole in the sea ice so you can cool off by plunging in. If you visit Finland in winter, embrace the darkness, saunas and twinkling lights, and make the most of the few hours of daylight. It is magical to explore the woods, branches piled high with snow, on foot, snowshoes or cross-country skis. There’s a particular hush and stillness the snow brings. And maybe it is learning to hold the dark and light that leads to a satisfaction among Finns.

There is plenty to explore beyond lakes, forests and saunas. Helsinki is a thriving capital that blends nature with culture. The Helsinki Biennial takes place in HAM Helsinki Art Museum on Vallisaari island, a 20-minute ferry ride from the city centre. Wandering around the wooded island is a joy in itself, with the art a bonus. The next biennial is in the summer of 2027.

Last summer I stayed in the new timber-framed Sokos Hotel Pier 4 on the harbour. The rooftop garden and bar offers a 360-degree view of the sea and across the city. On a warm July evening, with a DJ playing and the sunset filling the sky well after 10pm, it is a happy place to be. Nearby in the harbour is the Allas sea pool, where you can enjoy a sauna and swim, with a choice of heated and unheated pools, depending on your level of bravery.

The Esplanadi is lined with design shops if you want to take a piece of Finnish style home with you. There are the distinctive floral patterns of Marimekko, the glassware of Iittala, and the china of Arabia, including Moomin mugs and plates.

Restaurants showcasing seasonal and local produce are thriving. My favourite is Magu, which serves a five-course plant-based tasting menu, each dish bursting with creativity. And, of course, there is coffee and cinnamon rolls to keep everyone fuelled (Finns have the highest per capita coffee consumption in the world).

There is so much of Finland I still haven’t seen. I’ve never been to Lapland, to see the autumn colours and northern lights. I’d love to explore the wilds of north Karelia, go canoeing on Lake Saimaa and cycle around the Lakeland area. I have sailed through Baltic archipelagos on the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, but I’ve never spent time on the islands themselves. But then maybe a bucket list approach is not in keeping with the Finnish ethos – their happiness comes from familiarity, getting to know a place intimately, which is why so many Finns return to their summer cabins year after year.

The Moomins, the lovable children’s characters created by Tove Jansson, are one of Finland’s most famous exports. Moomintroll lived by a simple ethos: “I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream.” Happiness is a choice we can make, and that’s what I’ve learned from the Finns and being in Finland – it’s not the pursuit of happiness that makes you happy, it’s being in the moment, letting go of striving, letting go of expectations. Breathe in the trees. Plunge in cold water. Wake up and smell the coffee. Make a snow angel. Watch the sun setting into the blue expanse of a lake. That is happiness, Finnish-style.

Olivia Sprinkel’s book, To Hear the Trees Speak, is published by Bedford Square (£18.99). To support the Guardian, buy a copy from guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

Jan. 26 (UPI) — Critical minerals startup USA Rare Earth announced Monday that the Department of Commerce will give the company a $1.3 billion loan and $277 million in federal funding.

USA Rare Earth will issue Commerce 16.1 million shares of common stock and 17.6 million in warrants. The federal government will have an 8% to 16% stake in the company, depending on whether it uses the warrants, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

USA Rare Earth shares rose more than 20% Monday after the announcement, CNBC reported.

The injection of funds will help the company build a magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Okla., and a mine at the Round Top mineral deposit in Sierra Blanca, Texas.

CEO Barbara Humpton said the government deal will turn USA Rare Earth into an industry leader.

“This is a watershed moment in our work to secure and grow a resilient and independent rare earth value chain based in this country,” CNBC reported that Humpton told analysts Monday.

“We have long said that meeting the urgent call to reassure the rare earth and critical minerals industry will require a multiplayer solution, and this establishes our company as one of the leaders,” she said.

Commerce will allocate the funding from 2026 through 2028 based on milestones in USA Rare Earth’s business plan, Chief Financial Officer Rob Steele told analysts.

The company needs about $4.1 billion for its plan, he said. It still needs to raise about $600 million more capital.

“We believe we can raise the remaining capital from attractive sources, and you should assume that’s equity capital but that can come from strategic investments as well as institutional investors,” Steele said.

China dominates the global supply chain of rare earth materials. During trade disputes with President Donald Trump, Beijing tried to cut off rare earth exports.

“USA Rare Earth’s heavy critical minerals project is essential to restoring U.S. critical mineral independence,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. “This investment ensures our supply chains are resilient and no longer reliant on foreign nations.”

“The Department of Energy is ending America’s reliance on foreign nations for the critical materials essential to our economy and national security,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in a statement. “The DOE is partnering with USAR to rebuild the critical minerals supply chain. By expanding domestic mining, processing and manufacturing capabilities, we are creating good-paying American jobs and safeguarding our national security.”

“Accelerating the onshoring of rare earth minerals, metals, and magnets is paramount to national and economic security,” U.S. Investment Accelerator Executive Director Michael Grimes said in a statement. “With the Department of Commerce’s funding for USA Rare Earth’s vertically integrated mine-to-magnet operations, we will significantly increase the domestic supply of crucial components for semiconductors, defense and numerous other industries strategic to the United States.”