UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why Canada can’t leverage oil like China did rare earths
Q1. China first placed a set of medium and heavy rare earth elements on its export control list, as a countermeasure during renewed trade tensions with the United States, in which month and year?
- A. February 2025
- B. April 2025
- C. October 2025
- D. November 2025
Q2. With reference to the seven medium and heavy rare earth elements that China added to its export control list in April 2025, consider the following:
1. Dysprosium
2. Terbium
3. Neodymium
4. Scandium
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as elements covered by the April 2025 controls?
- Dysprosium
- Terbium
- Neodymium
- Scandium
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. How many elements are conventionally classified as rare earth elements (REEs)?
Q4. With reference to the light versus heavy classification of rare earth elements, consider the following statements:
1. Cerium is classified as a light rare earth element.
2. Terbium is classified as a light rare earth element.
3. Yttrium, despite its low atomic mass, is grouped with the heavy rare earth elements.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Cerium is classified as a light rare earth element.
- Terbium is classified as a light rare earth element.
- Yttrium, despite its low atomic mass, is grouped with the heavy rare earth elements.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. According to 2025 Canada-U.S. energy trade data, what share of Canada's crude oil exports to the United States was moved by pipeline?
- A. About 63%
- B. About 72%
- C. About 82%
- D. About 91%
Q6. In 2025, which country was the single largest source of crude oil imported by the United States?
- A. Saudi Arabia
- B. Mexico
- C. Canada
- D. Iraq
Q7. The geopolitical leverage of rare earths over that of a bulk commodity like oil derives principally from concentration at which stage of the supply chain?
- A. Mining and ore extraction
- B. Refining and processing
- C. End-product manufacturing
- D. Shipping and logistics
Q8. China's share of global rare-earth mine production peaked at approximately what level around 2009, illustrating the geographic concentration that a fungible commodity like oil lacks?
- A. About 70%
- B. About 85%
- C. About 98%
- D. 100%
Q9. In the context of India's critical-mineral security, KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) is best described as:
- A. A sovereign wealth fund that finances imports of rare earth magnets
- B. A public-sector joint venture mandated to acquire and develop mineral assets abroad
- C. A statutory regulator that auctions domestic critical-mineral blocks
- D. A strategic national stockpile of processed rare earth oxides
Q10. The January 2026 'side-deal' that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney struck with China, which provoked Trump's threat of a 100% tariff on Canadian imports, principally involved:
- A. Lower Canadian tariffs on Chinese EVs in exchange for reduced Chinese import taxes on Canadian farm products
- B. Canadian rare-earth exports to China in exchange for Chinese crude oil supplies
- C. A joint China-Canada pipeline to give Alberta oil a Pacific outlet
- D. Chinese financing for the completion of the Windsor-Detroit bridge
Q11. In international relations, the concept of 'weaponised interdependence' most precisely refers to:
- A. A state exploiting its central position in a network such as finance or supply chains to compel or constrain other states
- B. Any and every instance of trade occurring between two mutually dependent economies
- C. The complete severing of all trade ties with an adversary to inflict maximum damage
- D. A purely military alliance created solely to protect members' economies
Q12. With reference to the Gordie Howe International Bridge, consider the following statements:
1. It is a cable-stayed bridge across the Detroit River connecting Windsor, Ontario with Detroit, Michigan.
2. Upon opening it became the longest rail bridge between Canada and the United States.
3. Unlike the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, it was financed by Canada and is publicly owned.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It is a cable-stayed bridge across the Detroit River connecting Windsor, Ontario with Detroit, Michigan.
- Upon opening it became the longest rail bridge between Canada and the United States.
- Unlike the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, it was financed by Canada and is publicly owned.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3