Main menu For students For teachers Explore our subjects Student events & courses

Explore

More for students
Sign in

Teaching Economics

Topic updates

Externalities: The price of the rare earth metals the world buys from China

Graham Watson

10th July 2025

Share this content:

A visual look at the negative externalities associated with the mining of rare earth metals in China, with radioactive waste draining into local lakes and being associated with birth defects among the local population.

Share this content:

Graham Watson

Graham Watson has taught Economics for over twenty years. He contributes to tutor2u, reads voraciously and is interested in all aspects of Teaching and Learning.

You might also like

The Microeconomics of the Festival Wasteland: Why Do We Abandon Tents?

2nd September 2026

Macro Case Study: China's Growth

Topical case studies

In the News Teaching Activity – What are the implications of China’s export-led growth for the global economy? (Feb 2026)

2nd February 2026

In the News Teaching Activity – Why is China trying to increase its birth rate? (Jan 2026)

8th January 2026

China Taxes Condoms — Will It Work?

2nd January 2026

In the News Teaching Activity – what are the economic costs of flytipping? (Dec 2025)

4th December 2025

In the News Teaching Activity – Could rare earths help China ‘win’ the trade war? (Oct 2025)

23rd October 2025

In the News Teaching Activity – How does falling cement output affect the UK economy? (Sept 2025)

11th September 2025