Doug Burgum Is Right: China Controls 85% of Rare-Earth Minerals

CLAIM: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said during Wednesday night’s Republican presidential primary debate that China “controls 85 percent of the rare-earth minerals” pivotal in electric vehicle production.

VERDICT: True

Burgum made the remark and elaborated on China’s outsized environmental destruction in pursuit of rare-earth supplies in response to a question posed about the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against the “big three” American automobile companies, Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis (the parent company of Chrysler). Burgum interrupted to make his statement after the moderators allowed several other candidates to answer, then attempted...