Why can't rare earth prices like neodymium oxide rise thousands of times to punish Western buyers?

Why can't rare earth prices like neodymium oxide rise thousands of times to punish Western buyers?
The idea of spiking rare earth prices to force Western buyers into bankruptcy is not realistic. The US, EU and Japan have already built supply mechanisms specifically to counter this risk. Overseas rare earth producers now receive guaranteed offtake contracts, direct equity investment from Washington, and are barred from exporting raw ore to China for processing. This removes the old fear that investing in Western capacity would be stranded once China relaxed export controls. Australia's rare earth mine owners have openly discussed this exact concern. The result is a structural floor under Western supply, not a quick collapse. China's leverage remains real, but the window for using price as a weapon has narrowed because buyers have secured long-term commitments and are building independent refining lines.