The only rare earths mine in the US was shut down because of environmental problems. After that no owner was profitable producing REE because of environmental standards to keep up. That was until 2007 when China restricted REE exports. Now that China exports again, the current owner is broke once again (maybe it's already sold, I'm not sure).

While other industries can/could successfully be pressured to move to sustainable, fair and environmentally conscious production, the Chinese REE production, as a monopoly, just doesn't care.

Yes, it's a problem from our end. I would support some policy mechanisms to support mining in a way which was environmentally sound and reliable.

So one question, if China is defacto the sole supplier of rare earths and they don't keep up your standards, will this still be a green revolution?

China is ultimately a global superpower, and its government clearly has wide public support domestically. My hope that I can alter how mining is regulated in China is pretty much nil, that has to be up to the Chinese population to reject their government, to force them into action, or to acquiesce.

What if they decide to dump the toxic waste into the ocean ? Aren't we then pretty much back to square one ?

Yes, that would be a problem if it was happening. But that is regulated by international agreements, and as far as I know, China is not doing it.

Wasn't there a slogan that went like this: local solutions for a global problem ?

Think globally, act locally.