Unless you're making gallium arsenide cells, solar panels don't need rare earths. They're used mostly for motors.
As for rare earth mining, the US is way ahead of China in rare earth mining technology. Molycorp's Mountain Pass, CA rare earth mine is now in full production.[1] No more tailings ponds. There's a big back-end process to recover most of the water and solvents. There's a large amount of solid waste, but it's basically what was in the ground, minus the good stuff. Even the Sierra Club is grudgingly satisfied with the project.[2] The China producers have had to cut their prices drastically to compete. Molycorp is now struggling financially, and increasing output.[3] Not clear who will win, but right now there's a glut of rare earths.
As for rare earth mining, the US is way ahead of China in rare earth mining technology. Molycorp's Mountain Pass, CA rare earth mine is now in full production.[1] No more tailings ponds. There's a big back-end process to recover most of the water and solvents. There's a large amount of solid waste, but it's basically what was in the ground, minus the good stuff. Even the Sierra Club is grudgingly satisfied with the project.[2] The China producers have had to cut their prices drastically to compete. Molycorp is now struggling financially, and increasing output.[3] Not clear who will win, but right now there's a glut of rare earths.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id8hDUT5nHQ [2] http://www.desertreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DR_Sp... [3] http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/03/23/what-60-m...