Aerospace Suppliers Revisit Old Formulas to Cut China Rare-Earth Reliance

Aerospace suppliers are revisiting decades-old formulas for jet engine coatings in an effort to reduce their dependence on rare-earth minerals from China. The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions that have underscored the risks of relying on a single dominant producer for critical materials, according to a report from Reuters.

The Search for Alternatives

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is leading research into alternatives for the thermal barrier coatings used in the hottest sections of jet engines. Researchers are evaluating whether ceramic oxides like zirconium dioxide, first developed in the 1970s and 1980s, can be improved with modern technology to match the performance of current rare-earth-based materials.

"Now 50 years later, perhaps with the better instruments and engineering that we have, we can try to improve those materials," said Rogerio Lima, a senior research officer at the NRC, in a comment to Reuters. European thermal coatings producer Oerlikon Metco also confirmed it sells some rare-earth-free products and is developing others, including zirconia-based coatings made with magnesium and calcium oxides.

China's Supply Chain Leverage

The renewed interest stems from concerns over China's near-monopoly on the production and processing of rare earths and other critical minerals. Materials such as yttrium, indium phosphide, and tungsten are essential components in a wide range of aerospace and defense systems, from engine components to advanced semiconductor chips.

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Supply disruptions or export controls from China could significantly impact key segments of the Western aerospace industry, threatening production schedules and increasing costs for both commercial and military programs. Some U.S. suppliers are also reportedly exploring non-rare-earth alternatives for less critical components.

A Multi-Year Transition

Despite these efforts, experts caution that breaking the industry's reliance on China for rare earths will be a long and complex process. Recycling surplus coating materials may help ease some constraints, but it is not a comprehensive solution.

"Even under optimistic scenarios, we are years, not months, away from breaking our dependency on China for rare earths," said Geoffrey Gertz, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Gertz, a former White House National Security Council official, noted that this prolonged dependency means "China will continue to have considerable leverage in trade negotiations with the United States."