Major rare earth producers Lynas and MP Materials have reported significant losses due to declining prices and increased expenditure, reflecting the growing pressures on Western players in an oversupplied market. “We are definitely at a market killing price at the moment, so it is not unreasonable to expect some price uplift in the second half […]
> South Korean steel and chemicals giant POSCO has taken a 30% stake in Australia’s Mineral Resources’ (MinRes) 50% stakes in the Mt Marion and Wodgina mines for US$765 million. Structured as a joint venture, the deal would see MinRes and POSCO hold an overall 35% and 15% of the operations, as well as corresponding rights […]
> Western rare earths companies across the value chain are reevaluating corporate strategy amidst prolonged price declines. Over the last 12 months, ex-China companies have mulled options including mergers, sales, and capital restructuring as a two year-long slide in prices for light rare earth ores and oxides makes medium-term growth uncertain. Neodymium-Praseodymium (PrNd) oxide was at […]
> The US Department of Defense (DoD) has inked a multibillion-dollar partnership with MP Materials (MP), marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of global rare earth supply chains. As the first—and currently only—company with a fully integrated mine-to-magnet supply chain in North America, MP’s new “10X” facility is pivotal for reducing US strategic dependencies on […]
> China has postponed the implementation of its expanded rare earth export controls announced in early October following high-level US-China trade negotiations in South Korea this week. It marks a temporary easing in what had become an escalating front in the tit-for-tat US–China trade confrontation. The announcement follows extensive economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur, […]
> In the third quarter of 2025, 18 of the largest 25 copper miners reported quarter-on-quarter decreases in their output, including the top four miners. The total Q3 copper production reported by the top 25 miners hit 3.72Mt. “In the third quarter, many companies saw lower production compared to the previous quarter. However, most did not […]
> NEO Performance Materials (NEO), a Canadian company with 30 years of rare earths industry experience, officially opened its rare earth permanent magnet (REPM) plant in Narva, Estonia, with a high-level ceremony on September 19, with Benchmark in attendance. The Narva plant marks NEO’s second rare earth facility in Estonia, complementing its established Silmet rare earth […]
> US President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a landmark Critical Minerals Framework to bolster both nations’ access to rare earths and other critical minerals, in an effort to counter China’s dominance over strategically important supply chains. The framework indicates that the two governments will utilise a range of policy instruments to […]
> The lithium supply chain is experiencing structural dislocations, as concentrate (spodumene and mica) supply faces a shortfall of 60kt LCE this year, despite a 70kt LCE surplus in the broader chemical market, according to the latest edition of the Benchmark Lithium Forecast. Concentrate demand is projected to grow 34% year-on-year, owing to the expansion of […]