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Les terres rares Made in USA se portent bien
MP Materials, la société qui exploite la seule mine de terres rares en activité aux États-Unis a vu son chiffre d’affaires bondir de 84 % au second trimestre 2025. Il y a un mois, Apple et le Pentagone ont investi des centaines de millions de dollars dans l’entreprise minière californienne.

Julien Gouesmat le 08/08/25 latribune.fr

MP Materials, seule société à exploiter une mine de terres rares en activité aux États-Unis, a dévoilé hier des résultats trimestriels encourageants. L'entreprise a enregistré une hausse de 84 % de son chiffre d'affaires par rapport à la même période l'an dernier. La perte ajustée a reculé à 12,5 millions de dollars (contre 27 millions un an plus tôt) et l'action du groupe a bondi de 9,6 % en pré-ouverture.

Cette embellie repose sur une production record d'oxyde de néodyme-praséodyme (NdPr), en hausse de 119 % sur un an, atteignant 597 tonnes. À elle seule, cette production permettrait de fournir environ 500 000 moteurs de véhicules électriques par an. Surtout, cette production record de matière première intervient à un moment stratégique : au cours du mois d'avril, en pleine tension commerciale sino-américaine, MP Materials a cessé ses exportations vers la Chine, qui représentaient encore la majorité de ses revenus en 2024.

Chaîne de valeur intégrée

Si l'arrêt de ces exportations a d'abord été présenté comme une forme de prudence face aux droits de douane, il reflète surtout la réussite du pari de la chaîne de production Made in USA. En effet, il y a moins d'un an, les terres rares extraites de la mine de Mountain Pass par MP Materials devaient être expédiées en Chine pour être séparées et raffinées. Ces deux étapes sont essentielles avant la conception des aimants de terres rares, utilisés dans les voitures, éoliennes, drones, etc.

Mais en janvier, l'entreprise américaine jubile : sa nouvelle usine texane de Fort Worth produit les tout premiers aimants néodyme fer bore Made in USA, symbole d'un contrôle désormais quasi complet de la chaîne de valeur et d'une plus grande indépendance de l'entreprise vis-à-vis de la Chine. Résultat, le segment magnétique de l'entreprise affiche ainsi une croissance fulgurante : son chiffre d'affaires a quadruplé en trois mois, atteignant près de 20 millions de dollars, d'après les résultats annoncés hier.

Apple et le Pentagone à la rescousse

Malgré ces signes de réjouissance, l'entreprise continue de vivre sous perfusion. Les prix du marché, dictés par l'offre chinoise sont particulièrement bas et obligent l'État fédéral à soutenir son producteur stratégique. Début juillet, le Pentagone a officialisé un investissement de plus de 400 millions de dollars, qui fera de lui le premier actionnaire de MP Materials, à hauteur de 15 % du capital. Surtout, l'accord prévoit également un prix plancher de 110 dollars le kilo de néodyme-praséodyme pendant dix ans, soit près du double des prix pratiqués par la Chine.

Cette stratégie s'inscrit dans le vaste programme de réindustrialisation lancé par la deuxième administration Trump. Cette dernière multiplie les investissements dans les chaînes de valeur critiques. Quelques jours après l'annonce du Pentagone, Apple a révélé un investissement de 500 millions de dollars dans MP Materials. Une manière de sécuriser l'approvisionnement en aimants permanents, utilisés dans les iPhone et MacBook, mais aussi dans les futurs appareils de réalité augmentée.

Fort de ces nouveaux soutiens, MP Materials prévoit déjà la construction d'une seconde usine de fabrication d'aimants, qui porterait la capacité totale du groupe à 10 000 tonnes par an d'ici à 2028, avec pour objectif de répondre à la demande croissante du secteur de la défense, comme celui de l'automobile.

Un challenger surgit du Wyoming

Bien qu'il jouisse pour le moment d'un monopole aux États-Unis, la montée en puissance de MP ne se fait pas sans concurrence. Le 11 juillet, la société Ramaco Resources a inauguré la première nouvelle mine de terres rares aux États-Unis depuis plus de 70 ans, dans le Wyoming. Le site de Brook Mine pourrait produire jusqu'à 1 400 tonnes par an, selon son PDG, Randall Atkins, qui revendique la découverte inattendue d'un important gisement d'éléments lourds, jugés plus précieux que ceux produits à Mountain Pass.

Contrairement à MP, Ramaco finance son projet sur fonds propres, adossé à une activité charbonnière rentable. Le timing lui est favorable : une nouvelle loi fiscale signée par le président Trump début juillet inclut un crédit d'impôt pour les producteurs de charbon métallurgique, principale source de revenus de Ramaco. Randall Atkins ne cache pas ses ambitions : établir un indice américain des prix des terres rares et militer pour la création d'une réserve stratégique nationale, sur le modèle de la réserve pétrolière.

Il espère aussi que Washington accordera à Ramaco le même niveau de soutien que celui dont bénéficie MP Materials, même s'il affirme ne pas vouloir de participation publique directe. À ce stade, l'entreprise est déjà en contact avec le Conseil national pour la domination énergétique, créé en février par l'administration Trump, et pourrait prochainement solliciter le ministère de la Défense. MP Materials, malgré ses soutiens déjà acquis, devra désormais compter avec ce concurrent indépendant, potentiellement mieux positionné sur les terres rares lourdes et bénéficiant du soutien politique de figures républicaines influentes, comme les sénateurs John Barrasso (Rép., Wyoming), Joe Manchin (Dém., Virginie occidentale) ou Cynthia Lummis (Rép., Wyoming). Cette dernière a d'ailleurs salué l'ouverture de Brook Mine comme « une déclaration d'indépendance énergétique américaine pour le XXIe siècle ».

MP Materials to supply Apple with US-made rare earth magnets in 2027
The magnets will be sourced from MP Materials' Fort Worth, Texas facility, known as Independence.

July 16, 2025

US-based rare earth producer MP Materials has entered into a definitive, long-term agreement with tech giant Apple to supply US-manufactured, sustainable rare earth magnets.

These magnets will be produced using 100% recycled materials in a significant step in both companies’ commitment to sustainable and domestic supply chains.

The magnets will be sourced from MP Materials’ Fort Worth, Texas facility, known as Independence, using recycled rare earth feedstock processed at its Mountain Pass site in California.

MP Materials founder, chairman and CEO James Litinsky stated: “We are proud to partner with Apple to launch MP’s recycling platform and scale up our magnetics business.

“This collaboration deepens our vertical integration, strengthens supply chain resilience, and reinforces America’s industrial capacity at a pivotal moment.”

Since 2020, Apple and MP Materials have been developing advanced recycling technology to produce recycled rare earth magnets that meet Apple’s stringent performance and design criteria.

As a result of this collaboration, MP Materials will establish a commercial-scale, dedicated recycling line at the Mountain Pass facility to process a variety of materials, including magnet scrap and components from end-of-life products to be used as feedstock.

To meet the terms of the agreement with Apple and its partnership with the US Department of Defense (DoD), MP Materials will increase the capacity of its Fort Worth magnetics facility to establish neodymium magnet production lines tailored for Apple products.

The advanced equipment and technical capabilities will enable MP Materials to significantly increase its overall output.

Apple became one of the first tech companies to secure a supply agreement after China curbed exports in early 2025.

Apple will prepay MP Materials $200m for shipment of magnets to begin in 2027, as reported by Reuters.

The two companies will work together to drive technological advancements in magnet production and the recovery of materials at the end of a product’s life.

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated: “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the US economy. Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. “We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity and innovative spirit of the American people.”

India plans to kickstart rare earth output to cut China reliance

Bloomberg News | July 9, 2025 |

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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the need for a reliable supply of critical minerals at the BRICS gathering in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend. “It’s important to ensure that no country uses these resources for its own selfish gain or as a weapon against others,” Modi said at the event.

The South Asian nation aims to support three to four large companies in the production of about 4,000 tons of neodymium and praseodymium-based magnets using locally-mined raw materials over a period of seven years, according to the people and a policy proposal seen by Bloomberg News.
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Donald rare earth project in Australia receives final major regulatory approval
This approval will enable the project to proceed with financing arrangements before an FID.

June 26, 2025

Energy Fuels, a US-based uranium and rare earth elements (REEs) producer, has announced the final major regulatory approval for the Donald Rare Earth and Mineral Sand Project in Victoria, Australia.

This approval from the Government of Victoria allows the project to proceed with financing arrangements before a final investment decision (FID).

The Donald Project is a joint venture between Energy Fuels and Australia-based Astron, where Energy Fuels can invest A$183m ($119m) plus $17.5m in common shares to earn up to a 49% interest in the project.

The project is set to provide Energy Fuels with a long-term supply of monazite and xenotime-bearing REE mineral concentrate (REEC), which will be processed in the US at the company’s White Mesa Mill in Utah.

Expected to commence production as early as 2026, the project will supply Energy Fuels with 7,000–8,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of REEC in phase one. This will include significant quantities of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr), terbium and dysprosium oxides.

The phase two expansion will further increase production to approximately 13,000–14,000tpa of REEC.
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400 millions $ au Nigeria pour la « plus grande usine de terres rares » d'Afrique, mais…

Agence Ecofin 23 juin 2025

Selon l’United States Geological Survey, le Nigeria a produit 13 000 tonnes de terres rares en 2024. Un volume modeste, par rapport aux ambitions de pays africains comme l’Angola et la Tanzanie, qui disposent de projets pouvant livrer à eux seuls deux à trois fois la production nationale nigériane.

Au Nigeria, le ministre des Mines, Dele Alake (photo), a annoncé dimanche 22 juin un investissement direct étranger de 400 millions de dollars du groupe Hasetins Commodities Ltd. Ce dernier veut développer « la plus grande usine de traitement de terres rares et de minéraux critiques d’Afrique » dans l’Etat de Nasarawa. Derrière cette ambition, des zones d’ombres persistent.

Dans un communiqué du jeudi 19 juin, Hasetins indique qu’elle va construire une usine d'une capacité de 12 000 tonnes par an, pour compléter une installation d’une capacité annuelle de 6000 tonnes actuellement en service. Cela porterait la capacité de traitement du groupe au Nigeria à 18 000 tonnes par an. Aucun détail n’est cependant disponible sur les minéraux que l’usine produira, ses sources d’approvisionnement ou son calendrier de construction. On ignore également si les 400 millions $ annoncés sont déjà mobilisés, et le ministre ne précise pas non plus si la somme proviendra d’actionnaires encore inconnus ou d’un prêt.

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En attendant plus d’informations sur le projet mené par Hasetins, rappelons que le Nigeria héberge des réserves non estimées de terres rares. En 2020, l’United States Geological Survey (USGS) classait ainsi le pays parmi les producteurs potentiels de terres rares, sans pouvoir fournir d’estimation sur les volumes extraits. En janvier 2025, l’USGS a rapporté une production de 13 000 tonnes de terres rares pour le Nigeria en 2024, contre 7200 tonnes en 2023. Aucune information n’est en revanche disponible sur les sites de production ou la méthode d’exploitation, en l’occurrence industrielle ou artisanale.

Toutes ces inconnues n’empêchent néanmoins pas Abuja de soutenir Hasetins Commodities. Avec un potentiel minéral valorisé à 700 milliards $ et une contribution du secteur minier estimée à moins de 1 % du PIB, il faut dire que le Nigeria s’efforce ces dernières années de créer les conditions propices au développement du secteur. Des investisseurs de tous horizons ont ainsi annoncé la construction d’aciéries pour valoriser les réserves de minerai de fer, ou des usines de lithium.

« Ce projet représente plus de 10 000 nouveaux emplois, un véritable transfert de compétences et une étape importante vers le traitement de nos minéraux au niveau national. Le gouvernement fédéral est pleinement engagé dans ce projet. Nous apporterons tout le soutien institutionnel nécessaire, car des initiatives comme celle-ci nous rapprochent de nos objectifs nationaux à long terme », a rappelé le ministre Alake, à l’issue d’une audience accordée au directeur général de Hasetins, Jidayi Ijudigal.

Le Nigeria vise une contribution de 10 % des Mines au PIB d’ici 2026.

Angola : ReElement cible Longonjo pour l’approvisionnement américain en terres rares

Agence Ecofin 24 juin 2025

Avec une production initiale de 20 000 tonnes de MREC par an, Longonjo pourrait à terme devenir la première mine angolaise de terres rares. Alors que les travaux de construction ont démarré en mai, son opérateur Pensana multiplie les accords pour la vente de la production.

Dans une note publiée ce lundi 23 juin, Pensana a annoncé la signature d’un protocole d’accord avec la société américaine ReElement Technologies pour la vente de terres rares issues de son projet Longonjo en Angola. Cette entente qui porte sur la livraison annuelle de 20 000 tonnes de carbonate mixte de terres rares (MREC) sur cinq ans, vise principalement à soutenir les efforts d’approvisionnement en minéraux critiques pour répondre à la demande intérieure des USA.

« Le partenariat avec Pensana nous permet d'assurer une source fiable de MREC de haute qualité et démontre notre engagement à construire une chaîne d'approvisionnement nationale en terres rares qui réponde aux besoins croissants de l'industrie américaine » a expliqué Mark Jensen, PDG de ReElement.

Filiale de l’American Resources Corporation, ReElement est spécialisée dans le raffinage et la récupération de minéraux critiques comme le cobalt ou les terres rares. Avec ce développement, elle porte les intérêts américains pour la production de Longonjo, dans un contexte où Washington renforce de plus en plus sa position sur les minéraux critiques africains. Des initiatives comme l’accord « minerais contre sécurité » avec la République démocratique du Congo ou la présence d’acteurs américains comme KoBold Metals illustrent notamment cette tendance.

Cette offensive américaine pour Longonjo intervient toutefois après la signature de deux autres protocoles d’accord de vente avec les sociétés japonaises Hanwa et Toyota Tsusho. À l’instar de ReElement, ces deux acteurs ont signé pour l’enlèvement de 20 000 de MREC par an pour cinq ans. Ce volume de vente correspond à la production prévue lors de la première phase d’exploitation de la future mine et à la moitié des 40 000 tonnes de MREC prévues lors de la deuxième phase.

Pour l’heure, on ignore encore les objectifs poursuivis par Pensana pour la commercialisation de la production de Longonjo. La suite dépendra de la finalisation des termes contractuels des accords annoncés et du choix des partenaires commerciaux.

Torngat Metals secures $120M for Strange Lake rare earth project in Canada

Staff Writer | June 17, 2025

Torngat Metals has secured C$165 million ($120 million) in government funding for pre-construction work at its Strange Lake rare earth project straddling northern Quebec and Labrador.


Export Development Canada is supplying a C$110 million bridge loan while the Canada Infrastructure Bank is offering a C$55 million infrastructure loan, both firsts for the institutions. The financing is to advance engineering, environmental studies, permitting applications, road and infrastructure upgrades, and airstrip rehabilitation.

Torngat aims to begin construction in late 2026 and the start operations by 2028.

The announcement for the C$2 billion capex project aiming to produce roughly 15,000 tonnes per year of rare earth oxides arrives at a pivotal moment for Canada’s role in mineral supply chains, CEO Yves Leduc said on Tuesday.

“This financing comes at a critical juncture, as the Chinese monopoly of heavy rare earths drives the global permanent magnet shortage,” Leduc said in a news release. “Our partnership with these two renowned Canadian institutions will help us achieve key project milestones towards unlocking the largest supply by far of dysprosium and terbium outside China.”

Strange Lake stands out among North American rare earth projects for its heavy rare earth content, particularly dysprosium and terbium—elements critical to permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and defence technologies. Unlike many of its peers, Torngat plans to build a rare earth separation plant at Sept-Îles, Quebec, producing finished oxides domestically rather than exporting concentrates.

Heavy producer

With more than of half Strange Lake’s output to be classed as heavy rare earths, this would make it the largest heavy rare earth producer in North America and one of the largest outside China. The company has stated that its production cost per kilogram of rare earth oxide would be competitive with global producers, though final figures will depend on engineering studies now underway.

Strange Lake’s production plans would surpass North America’s current heavy rare earth output. It places Torngat in a stronger position than other advanced projects such as Vital Metals’ (ASX: VML) Nechalacho project in the Northwest Territories, which focuses on light rare earths, and Ucore Rare Metals’ (TSXV: UCU) Bokan Mountain project in Alaska, which is smaller in scale and heavy rare earth content.

Compared to China’s state-backed operations, Strange Lake would be modest in scale but significant strategically. China currently accounts for more than 90% of global heavy rare earth production, with state-owned enterprises controlling most separation capacity. Torngat’s planned annual output could supply a meaningful portion of North American demand for dysprosium and terbium, helping reduce reliance on Chinese imports.

Indigenous engagement

The company also highlights its commitment to Indigenous partnerships and community engagement. Strange Lake’s location requires permitting and approvals in both Quebec and Labrador, as well as agreements with Indigenous governments and organizations in the region.

Torngat has stated that meaningful Indigenous equity participation and co-management of environmental monitoring will be core components of its development strategy. The company expects to submit initial permit applications later this year, following further consultation.

Torngat’s financing is notable as the first early-stage bridge loan provided by Export Development Canada to a mining project, and the first critical minerals investment by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Both agencies have described the Strange Lake project as aligned with Canada’s critical minerals strategy and the federal goal of developing resilient, low-carbon supply chains.

Rainbow Rare Earth, Mosaic begin economic assessment on REE extraction in Brazil

Staff Writer | June 17, 2025

Rainbow Rare Earths (LON: RBW), in collaboration with Mosaic, has kicked off work on an economic assessment (EA) for the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from the Uberaba phosphogypsum project in Brazil.

The EA, says Rainbow, is intended to allow for both parties to understand the project’s economics ahead of considering a partnership to potentially replace the current non-binding memorandum of understanding.

Rainbow Rare Earths (LON: RBW), in collaboration with Mosaic, has kicked off work on an economic assessment (EA) for the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from the Uberaba phosphogypsum project in Brazil.


The EA, says Rainbow, is intended to allow for both parties to understand the project’s economics ahead of considering a partnership to potentially replace the current non-binding memorandum of understanding.

Mosaic, the world’s leading producer of concentrated phosphates and potash crop nutrients, is the project’s owner.

According to Rainbow, the Uberaba phosphogypsum contains valuable REEs that occur as byproducts of the phosphoric acid (phosacid) production operations on site, and its pioneering IP can be applied to recover these minerals.

The material is similar in nature to its Phalaborwa project in South Africa, as it’s based on a hard rock carbonatite phosphate deposit, which is mined to initially produce a phosphate slurry feed that is then processed into phosacid using sulphuric acid, the company said.

This process, it added, delivers phosphogypsum material that contains most of the REE present in the phosphate slurry feed.

While public data is not available on the size of the Uberaba resource, initial indications are that it could be significantly larger than Phalaborwa, Rainbow has said. In addition, Mosaic’s phosacid operations are ongoing and are based on long-life phosphate mines, meaning that new phosphogypsum is deposited on the stacks annually.

“Uberaba is an exciting project for Rainbow, given the technical similarities with Phalaborwa; however, it represents a significantly larger economic opportunity over the long-term due to the sheer scale of the planned annual feed rate and the long-term nature of the underlying phosphate deposit,” Rainbow CEO George Bennett said in a news release Tuesday.

As at Phalaborwa, the Uberaba phosphogypsum is amenable to direct acid leaching, with test work to date demonstrating that between 31% and 65% of the REEs can be readily extracted, Rainbow said on its website.

Assay work has returned grades of between 0.45% and 0.79% total rare earth oxides, with Nd/Pr being 24.5% of the rare earths basket, plus economic quantities of Dy and Tb. The average grade, which will be used in the EA, is 0.58% TREO.

EA details

Under the existing MOU, Rainbow and Mosaic have developed a process flowsheet for extracting REEs from the Uberaba stack for the EA work.

The flowsheet would receive phosphogypsum from the Uberaba phosacid process facility and treat the material for REE extraction. The chemically processed and cleaned phosphogypsum stream is then returned to Mosaic’s facility.

The EA envisages an operation processing capacity totalling 4.3 million tonnes of phosphogypsum per annum, which is around twice the annual size of Phalaborwa.

As at Phalaborwa, the EA is based on the establishment of a single hydrometallurgical plant on site, which will refine the material into separated rare earth oxides of +99% purity, Rainbow said.

The EA will be based on an initial project life of 15 years. Due to the life of mine of the underlying phosphate resource feeding the phosacid plant at Uberaba, recovery of rare earths can be expected to extend for a far longer period.

The third-party costs of $230,000 to develop the EA will be shared equally between Rainbow and Mosaic, as the companies had agreed in the MOU.

Malaysian firm to explore rare earth mining

Bloomberg News | June 18, 2025

Berjaya Land Bhd. is set to explore and develop the mining of rare earth elements and other minerals in Malaysia’s northern Perlis state.


The company, a subsidiary of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan-controlled Berjaya Corp., signed a memorandum of understanding with Impianan Utara Sdn. on Tuesday to undertake the project, according to a filing. They will also develop large-scale plantation of Napier hybrid grass and Blackthorn durian.

The projects will be carried out in collaboration with the state’s investment vehicle Menteri Besar Incorporated Perlis.

The move is in line with Malaysia’s ambitions to become a globally competitive and environmentally responsible player in the rare earth industry, according to the statement.

China-backed militia secures control of new rare earth mines in Myanmar

Reuters | June 13, 2025

A Chinese-backed militia is protecting new rare earth mines in eastern Myanmar, according to four people familiar with the matter, as Beijing moves to secure control of the minerals it is wielding as a bargaining chip in its trade war with Washington.


China has a near-monopoly over the processing of heavy rare earths into magnets that power critical goods like wind turbines, medical devices and electric vehicles. But Beijing is heavily reliant on Myanmar for the rare earth metals and oxides needed to produce them: the war-torn country was the source of nearly half those imports in the first four months of this year, Chinese customs data show.

Beijing’s access to fresh stockpiles of minerals like dysprosium and terbium has been throttled recently after a major mining belt in Myanmar’s north was taken over by an armed group battling the Southeast Asian country’s junta, which Beijing supports.

Now, in the hillsides of Shan state in eastern Myanmar, Chinese miners are opening new deposits for extraction, according to two of the sources, both of whom work at one of the mines. At least 100 people are working day-to-night shifts excavating hillsides and extracting minerals using chemicals, the sources said.

Two other residents of the area said they had witnessed trucks carrying material from the mines, between the towns of Mong Hsat and Mong Yun, toward the Chinese border some 200km away. Reuters identified some of the sites using imagery from commercial satellite providers Planet Labs and Maxar Technologies.

Business records across Myanmar are poorly maintained and challenging to access, and Reuters could not independently identify the ownership of the mines.

The mines operate under the protection of the United Wa State Army, according to four sources, two of whom were able to identify the uniforms of the militia members.

The UWSA, which is among the biggest armed groups in Shan state, also controls one of the world’s largest tin mines. It has long-standing commercial and military links with China, according to the US Institute of Peace, a conflict resolution non-profit.

Details of the militia’s role and the export route of the rare earths are reported by Reuters for the first time.
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Critical Metals releases assay results from Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland

Staff Writer | June 9, 2025

Critical Metals Corp. (Nasdaq: CRML) has released the first assay results from deep diamond drilling in 2007 and 2013 at the Fjord deposit, part of a large mineralized kakortokite host unit that covers approximately 5 km x 2.5 km in area, measuring several hundred metres thick and estimated at 4.7 billion tonnes.

The Fjord deposit is part of the company’s Tanbreez project in southern Greenland, considered to be one of the largest untapped heavy rare earths (HREE) deposits outside China with over 27% HREE content.

Earlier this year, Critical Metals confirmed the Tanbreez resource through the release of a technical report in compliance with Regulation S-K 1300, followed by a preliminary economic assessment estimating a net present value of $3.04 billion with an internal rate of return of 180%.

The new results comprise holes drilled through the Fjord deposit and extended below the mineral resource estimate (MRE), which assessed the eudialyte component of the kakortokite limited to the material above sea level.

According to Critical Metals, the deeper drill holes identified rare earth mineralization at similar grades within the kakortokite unit below and within the MRE.

The assays confirmed deep and highly mineralized total rare earth oxides (TREOs) for each drill hole, ranging from 0.33% to 0.51% TREOs, with a weighted average of 0.43% containing 28% heavy rare earth oxides (HREOs) hosted within the Kakortokite rock, and over the Fjord deposit for the eudialyte component MRE of 22.6 million tonnes at 0.43% TREOs including 26% HREOs.

The new results present a compelling opportunity for the company to increase the existing MRE over the Tanbreez Fjord deposit with infill and extension drilling between all historical diamond and RC drill holes, Critical Metals stated.

“I am further encouraged by the deep diamond drill hole results at Tanbreez, revealing exceptional assay results over wider and deeper mineralization,” CEO Tony Sage said in a news release.

“Tanbreez continues to yield consistent high-grade drilling results presenting the company with a compelling opportunity to significantly increase and double our current MRE with an exploration target of 500 million tonnes of rare earth material up from our previous target of 225 million tonnes,” Sage said.

“This key technical work to uncover and update historical information, strategically positions us to advance our plans for the development strategy as we deepen our understanding of the potential of this world-class asset and the material it contains.”

Exploration and in-country field crews are currently on the ground at Tanbreez organizing the forthcoming field season preparing for resource and exploration drilling, the company said, adding that it has applied to the Greenland MSLA for its 2025 resource drilling programs focusing on the Fjord and Hill Zone deposits.

Critical Metals stock closed the day up 5.8% in New York. The company has a $143 million market capitalization.

Defense Metals eyes $250M loan for BC rare earths

Posted By: FREDERIC TOMESCO June 4, 2025

Defense Metals said Export Development Canada could lend up to $250 million (C$342 million) to help the company develop and build its main Wicheeda rare earth project in British Columbia. The stock jumped.

Canada’s export credit agency expressed its interest in participating as a mandated lead arranger for the debt financing package, Vancouver-based Defense Metals said Wednesday in a statement. EDC issued a letter of interest in response to a company request for potential financing support, Defense Metals said.

A preliminary feasibility study, released in February, put Wicheeda’s initial capital cost at $1.4 billion. It gave the project an after-tax net present value of $1 billion and an after-tax internal rate of return of 19%, based on a discount rate of 8%. Reserves support a 15-year life of mine with an average annual output of 31,900 tonnes of total rare earth oxide in concentrate.

“This is a strong endorsement of the strategic importance of the Wicheeda REE project and shows the key role that EDC might consider playing in its financing,” Guy de Selliers, Defense Metals’ executive chairman, said in the statement. Wicheeda would “contribute to a number of Canadian priorities including the clean energy transition and the security of supply of critical minerals.”
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Aa aerial view of Wicheeda project area. Credit: Agentis Capital.

Les équipementiers automobiles alertent sur la pénurie de terres rares
Plusieurs usines et lignes de production d'équipementiers automobiles européens ont dû cesser leurs activités en raison d'une pénurie de terres rares due aux restrictions imposées depuis avril par la Chine aux exportations de ces métaux précieux, a alerté mercredi l'Association européenne des fournisseurs automobiles (Clepa).

REUTERS 04 juin 2025

Sur les centaines de demandes de licences d'exportation déposées depuis début avril par les équipementiers, un quart seulement ont été accordées, a déclaré la Clepa, ajoutant que certaines requêtes sont rejetées pour des raisons avant tout de procédure.

"Les procédures semblent varier en fonction des provinces et dans plusieurs cas, des informations sensibles sur la propriété intellectuelle ont été requises", a ajouté l'association, selon qui d'autres sites de production pourraient être affectés dans les trois ou quatre semaines à venir à mesure que les stocks se réduisent.

La décision chinoise de suspendre les exportations de terres rares, en réaction à l'offensive tarifaire de Donald Trump, perturbe les chaînes d'approvisionnement des constructeurs automobiles et aéronautiques, ainsi que les secteurs des semi-conducteurs ou de la défense.

Plusieurs organisations patronales en Allemagne, en Inde ou encore aux Etats-Unis pressent leurs responsables politiques d'agir pour négocier avec Pékin une solution rapide.

Rosneft acquires Tomtor rare earth deposit in Russia
The move follows President Vladimir Putin's directive to expedite the Tomtor project's development.

May 22, 2025

Russian oil producer Rosneft has acquired the Tomtor rare earth metal deposit in the north of the Yakutia region in Siberia by taking complete control of Vostok Engineering, the project operator, as per the official state registry of Russian companies.

The move follows President Vladimir Putin’s directive to expedite the Tomtor field’s development, reported Reuters.

The acquisition, completed on 20 May, is a step towards reducing Russia’s reliance on imports, particularly from China.

In November last year, Putin criticised the operator for stalling the project and suggested it should either increase investment or seek assistance, including from the state.

Tomtor is crucial to Russia’s ambition to enhance its production of rare earth metals, which are essential for manufacturing mobile phones, electric cars and various defence industry components.

Prior to the conflict in Ukraine, Russia had planned to invest $1.5bn (Rbs119.25bn) in rare earth minerals to become the second-largest producer after China by 2030.

The US and other nations are similarly looking to decrease their dependence on China, which currently dominates 95% of the global production and supply of these metals.

Russia is estimated to hold the world’s fifth-largest reserves of rare earth metals at 3.8 million tonnes (mt), according to the US Geological Survey.

The country’s strategy for the sector aims to secure up to a 12% share of the global market by 2030, positioning it among the top five producers.

Businessman Alexander Nesis, through his IST group of companies, previously held a 75% stake in ThreeArc Mining, the initial operator of Tomtor.

Polymetal, a gold and silver producer, formerly owned a 9.1% share in ThreeArc Mining.

Following the onset of military actions in Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions, control passed to Vladislav Resin, a former manager at IST, before Rosneft’s acquisition. Last month, Russian state bank VEB announced plans to invest more than Rbs1.1trn into the development of the Baimskaya copper mine in the Chukotka region.