The End of Cheap Magnetics: China's 45% Price Hike and the Sulphuric Squeeze
China Northern Rare Earth Group has announced a 45% price hike for Q2 2026, signalling a shift from market-share dominance to revenue maximisation. Simultaneously, China is tightening sulphuric acid supply — the key reagent for rare earth leaching — creating a double squeeze on non-Chinese refineries.
The Vietnam Pivot: How Export Bans are Building a New Processing Powerhouse
The $60M Lynas - LS Eco Energy cross-investment deal to build a rare earth metal plant in Vietnam is the first major "post-ban" victory for Vietnam's industrial policy - proving that Hanoi's export ban is successfully forcing a reorganization of the global magnet supply chain.
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.
EU Critical Raw Materials Act: New environmental standards for imported magnets
The European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act introduces stringent environmental and social governance requirements for rare earth magnets imported into the EU, effective July 2026.