China's dominance in rare earths minerals can cause a shortage for US consumers in everything from cars to TV remotes.

The US trade war with China has a major sticking point: rare earths minerals. Last month, President Donald Trump said the United States needed Greenland “very badly,” renewing his threat to annex the Danish territory.

Investor interest in rare-earth minerals is rising, a source of strength for shares in the rare-earth miner MP Materials. The stock rose Friday after jumping late Thursday following a Bloomberg report that the Defense Department might provide additional capital to boost production.