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 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.
The Canberra Consensus: How the EU-Australia FTA Reshapes the Critical Mineral Map
Today's signing of the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement in Canberra marks the most significant expansion of the "Western Mineral Bloc" since the formation of the G7 Alliance—ending eight years of agricultural disputes to forge a new strategic partnership anchored in critical minerals.
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.
Vietnam enacts rare earth export licensing system effective immediately
Vietnam's National Assembly has passed comprehensive export controls requiring government approval for all rare earth mineral exports, reshaping Southeast Asia's critical minerals trade.