Chinese firms plan rare earth manufacturing hub in Hebei

BEIJING (Reuters) - A group of Chinese firms have jointly established a rare earths innovation centre in the country's Hebei province as part of a plan to develop a manufacturing base in the region, according to the local government hosting the project.The move comes amid speculation that China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, may use its control over supply of the group of 17 prized minerals - used in everything from consumer electronics to military equipment - as leverage in its..