According to Duncan Wood, Vice President for Strategy and New Initiatives at the Wilson Center, reopening coal mines to extract rare earth minerals could be a beneficial move for the UK. Speaking to MPs at the Foreign Affairs Committee, Wood stated that using old mining sites to extract rare earth minerals could be a “win-win situation” for many people. Rare earth elements (REE) are 18 metallic elements that have a number of different applications, ranging from LCD displays and computer hard drives to nuclear fuel and weapons. However, experts have previously warned about the UK’s dependence on China. The communist-controlled country has extracted around 80% of global REE supplies until a few years ago, and as the relationship between China and Western democracies deteriorated, countries are now looking to diversify their supply chains. Wood suggested that using old mining sites could be a positive way to regenerate some mining communities that lost out in the 1980s. Christopher Heron, Director for Communication and Public Affairs at Eurometaux, also noted that the UK has unique advantages in education, innovation, and some highly specialised production areas. However, there are hurdles to overcome, including people’s perception of the industry and the long licensing process.