RARE EARTH INDUSTRY – AUSTRALIA

China and Australia in new rare earths and iron ore disputes

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Original article by Tim Treadgold
Forbes – Page: Online : 26-Nov-25

Northern Minerals is concerned that Chinese investors may have failed to comply with a federal government directive to divest shares in the rare earths miner. Its Browns Range project contains heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium, and Northern Minerals is in talks with the US government-owned Export-Import Bank regarding a $US250m loan to help finance further work at the undeveloped project. In separate but potentially related action – given that China is a common link – media reports have suggested that the China Mineral Resources Group has extended a ban on steel mills purchasing certain types of iron ore from BHP. CMRG initially banned BHP’s Jimbelbar fines earlier this year, but this is said to have been expanded to include Jingbao fines.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN MINERALS LIMITED – ASX NTU, CHINA MINERAL RESOURCES GROUP COMPANY LIMITED, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Lynas stranded by energy mess

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 26-Nov-25

Lynas Rare Earths has advised that its production will be about one-third lower in the December quarter due to electricity supply problems at its cracking and leaching plant in Western Australia. The $800m plant is located in Kalgoorlie, which has been affected by intermittent power outages for some time, and Lynas says the outages have become more frequent and longer during November. Lynas is now considering off-grid options for the plant, such as diesel fuel and gas; it is also building a 46-megawatt hybrid power station at its Mount Weld rare earths mine.

CORPORATES
LYNAS RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX LYC

UBS warns against overplaying the volatile rare earths sector

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Original article by Gus McCubbing
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 5-Nov-25

Shares in Australian rare earths producers have rallied in the wake of the landmark critical minerals deal with the US. AUSIEX notes that the sector has posted strong gains since April, when China imposed export controls on seven rare earth elements. However, UBS equity strategist Richard Schellbach has likened the situation at present to 2010, when China similarly imposed restrictions on rare earths exports to Japan; he notes that the sector initially rallied, followed by a pullback when China removed the export controls. Schellbach also warns that it will take a long time to develop a rare earths industry in Australia; he adds that is unlikely to match the size of the iron ore and LNG industries.

CORPORATES
AUSIEX, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Miners hail end of China grip

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 22-Oct-25

Arafura Rare Earths’ CEO Darryl Cuzzubbo says the $US8.5bn ($13bn) critical minerals deal between Australia and the US is the biggest step toward breaking China’ stranglehold on the sector. The deal includes a framework for US taxpayers to acquire stakes in Australian rare earths and critical minerals assets. Arafura itself will receive up to $US300m from the US Export-Import Bank to advance its Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory, while the federal government will invest another $US100m in the project. Meanwhile, Cuzzubbo says Arafura is about three years away from producing neodymium and praseodymium.

CORPORATES
ARAFURA RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX ARU, EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES

Echoes of lithium boom as rare earth stocks soar

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Original article by Alex Gluyas
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 15-Oct-25

Shares in rare earths producers have rallied due to factors such as rising demand for the critical minerals and concerns over supply amid renewed trade tensions between the US and China. Lynas Rare Earths has risen by 227 per cent so far in 2025, while Australian Strategic Materials is up 272 per cent. US-based MP Materials has in turn rise by 480 per cent in the year-to-date. However, Macquarie analysts now consider shares in both Lynas and Iluka Resources to be fully priced, contending that these stocks have outpaced gains in underlying rare earths prices. The firm has an ‘outperform’ rating on Meteoric Resources, whose shares rose 17.1 per cent to $0.24 on Tuesday.

CORPORATES
LYNAS RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX LYC, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC MATERIALS LIMITED – ASX ASM, MP MATERIALS CORPORATION, MACQUARIE EQUITIES LIMITED, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU, METEORIC RESOURCES NL – ASX MEI

Northern Minerals bets on non-China premium

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Original article by Peter Ker, Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 17-Sep-25

Northern Minerals has released the definitive feasibility study for its Browns Range rare earths project in Western Australia. It estimates that the project will cost about $592 million and have a mine life of 11 years. Browns Range will produce rare earths such as dysprosium, terbium, neodymium and praseodymium. The latter two are currently fetching about $US70 per kilogram, but Northern Minerals says it hopes to receive about $US107/kg for the rare earths it produces at Browns Range; it adds that prices could potentially rise to around $US138/kg if the world moves to aggressively decouple from Chinese supply chains.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN MINERALS LIMITED – ASX NTU

Rinehart a winner in rare earths move

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 14 : 6-Aug-25

Shares in Lynas Rare Earths and Iluka Resources rose strongly on Tuesday, in response to the federal government’s plans to create a floor price for rare earths. Resources Minister Madeleine King has indicated hat the government is also open to taking equity stakes in rare earths companies, as part of its proposal to establish a critical minerals strategic reserve. Arafura Rare Earths’ CEO Darryl Cuzzubbo says an Australian floor price would disrupt China’s dominance of the rare earths sector; he adds that any strategic reserve for rare earths should be linked to a non-China controlled price index. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has an eight per cent in Arafura and a similar stake in Lynas.

CORPORATES
LYNAS RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX LYC, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU, ARAFURA RARE EARTHS LIMITED – ASX ARU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES

‘Minerals for mates’: PM digs in

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Apr-25

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the federal government’s proposed strategic reserve of critical minerals and rare earths will make Australia "stronger and safer" in a time of global uncertainty. Albanese will announce details of the proposed national stockpile today; it will aim to ensure that such minerals are available to both local manufacturers and key allies, such as Japan, South Korea and the US. The government is expected to use the strategic reserve as a bargaining chip to negotiate an exemption from the Trump administration’s tariffs regime. The strategic reserve is also aimed at reducing China’s market dominance in the global supply of rare earths and critical minerals.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

PM’s $1.65b refinery in offshore JV

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian – Page: 17 : 23-Apr-25

RareX and Iluka Resources have teamed up to make a joint bid for the right to develop the Mrima Hill rare earths project in Kenya. The two companies propose to ship ore from Mrima Hill to Western Australia, and process it at Iluka’s Eneabba rare earths refinery which is under construction. RareX’s MD James Durrant says the company has spent several years building trust and relationships in Kenya amid growing interest in the Mrima Hill deposit among countries such as the US and China. Iluka has received more than $1.6bn in taxpayer support for the Eneabba refinery.

CORPORATES
RAREX LIMITED – ASX REE, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU

Australia can play key role in global supply of rare earths

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Original article by Robert Gottliebsen
The Australian – Page: 24 : 17-Apr-25

Federal Resources Minister Madeline King recently called for Australia to establish a strategic reserve of critical minerals. However, King did not name terbium and dysprosium, which are crucial for the defence sector and which will now be subject to export controls by China. King also did not mention that although Australia has terbium and dysprosium deposits, the nation does not currently produce these minerals. Meanwhile, Haoma Mining’s rare earth ore bodies at Bamboo Creek in the Pilbara carry some of the highest grades of terbium and dysprosium in the world. Gold will first be extracted via the Elazac process, which greatly assists the economics. The high content of terbium and dysprosium in the remaining material can potentially be treated several ways. The Bamboo Creek ore also contains lutetium and yttrium, which are important in lutetium-based prostate cancer treatments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND RESOURCES, HAOMA MINING NL