In a three-part interview series with Metal Miner, American Resources principal Daniel McGroarty discusses resource nationalism, the role of China in global resource wars and lessons for the United States’ mineral resource strategy against the backdrop of the East China Sea territorial dispute between China and Japan over a tiny group of islands, with outsized importance in terms of seabed rights.

Outlining the takeaway for U.S. policy as it relates to domestic rare earth mineral/resource policies, McGroarty argues:

“I do believe there is an impact on the US – the question is, to what extent? What form does that impact take? Can we affect it in a positive way? From a security standpoint, we have a treaty relationship with Japan that requires us to come to their defense and will guarantee that our policymakers will watch this closely. Longer-term, it reminds us that resources will be fought over (metaphorically and hopefully not militarily) and can be used as a policy tool. This conflict should give us pause to develop [the United States'] own strategic rare earth resources. We need to cover our own dependencies.”

Click here to read part one, part two, and part three of the interview.