China is the globe's top mining country, but its alarming reserves-to-production ratio is forcing domestic miners to hunt for deals in the rest of the world.
La Serena appeals court unanimously rejected a lawsuit presented by locals, which claimed the massive tailing dam had dried up a nearby stream and contaminated underground water.
Beijing had been widely expected to eliminate tariffs and quotas on rare earth shipments after a World Trade Organization panel branded them discriminatory last year.