The Caremag Protocol: France and Japan Bridge the Heavy Rare Earth Gap
France and Japan have formalised a Critical Minerals Roadmap anchored by Caremag — the first industrial-scale heavy rare earth separation facility outside China, located in Lacq, France. Japan has secured a 20% offtake of Dysprosium and Terbium oxides, while USA Rare Earth will supply feedstock from Texas, creating a Triangular Corridor for HRE supply.
The $110 Floor: Japan and Lynas Rewrite the Rules of Rare Earth Policy
Lynas and Japan Australia Rare Earths (JARE) have finalised a supply deal to 2038 featuring a US$110/kg NdPr floor price—a landmark Sovereign Price Protection mechanism that structurally decouples Tier-1 rare earth producers from Chinese benchmark pricing.
China tightens export licenses for dual-use rare earth magnet technologies
Effective Jan 2026, China implemented Announcement No. 1 [2026], tightening export licenses for dual-use rare earth magnet technologies, specifically targeting exports to Japan.