> in the 1980s, China ramped up production massively, driving out competitors and cornering the market. (China could do this, in part, by going easy on environm

> in the 1980s, China ramped up production massively, driving out competitors and cornering the market. (China could do this, in part, by going easy on environmental oversight of mining, which can be a horrifically dirty process.) > When China decided to restrict exports in 2010, that drove prices up and suddenly made it profitable for other countries to start boosting their own production again. This in an example where "free markets" cause major environmental issues.