Phosophates and REE from other sources like agriculture waste, deep seabeds aren’t sufficient
Foss & Koelsch, 22 --- *Fellow in Energy, Minerals and Materials at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, AND **Research Associate, J.A. Green & Company and Former Research Intern, Center for Energy Studies (December 19, 2022, Michelle Michot Foss, Jacob Koelsch, “Of Chinese Behemoths: What China’s Rare Earths Dominance Means for the US,” https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/chinese-behemoths-what-chinas-rare-earths-dominance-means-us, JMP)
Rare earths occur with phosphates in the U.S., which could become a potentially alluring option.[78] Phosphates are extracted for a variety of uses and are of interest for developing a competing battery chemistry (lithium-iron-phosphate or LFP[79]). However, phosphates and REE-containing minerals in sands deposits also bear the radioactive elements thorium and uranium. This presents a persistent dilemma since existing U.S. regulations limit the extraction of these radioactive elements and thereby discourage the pursuit of REE.[80] REE can be harvested from other sources, such as agricultural wastes, and could be captured from deepwater seabeds, affording an exploration frontier. Overall, however, REE exist within an inadequate framework for nonfuel minerals — especially given how critical they are to both legacy and alternative energy technologies, much less non-energy and defense uses.