Four United States senators have asked that country’s Secretary of Treasury and of the Interior to use their authority with multilateral development banks, and under U.S. mining law, to block Chinese mining projects until China agrees to trade fairly in rare earth elements. The senators asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to instruct U.S. directors at multilateral banks to oppose funding for any Chinese-financed mining, smelting, separation or production projects related to rare earths, either in China or abroad. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar was asked to block any Chinese-funded mining projects in the United States. “Until China lifts its rare earths foreign investment prohibitions, we respectfully request that you enforce reciprocal prohibitions with respect to Chinese investment in mineral exploration and purchase in the United States,” the letter to Salazar said. According to the senators, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA), and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), China is engaging in anti-competitive practices that have heightened global supply problems at a time when demand is increasing, and the U.S. must act to address this shortage. “We know from experience with China’s foreign exchange regime that meetings and discussions have no significant impact on China’s anticompetitive practices—which is why we respectfully ask you take specific steps to respond to China’s deleterious rare earths policies,” the letter said. The article can be viewed online at the link below.