Putin Orders Government to Provide Plan to Develop Rare Earths by November

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he had ordered the government to present a program for the development of rare earth metals no later than November.

Putin made the comments in his opening remarks at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

Russia has the world's fifth-largest reserves of rare earth metals, used in lasers and military equipment, and has touted plans to boost their output to reduce reliance on Chinese imports.