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.
U.S. proposes price floor contracts for NdPr and heavy rare earths to counter predatory pricing
The U.S. Department of Energy is developing "Contract for Difference" agreements to guarantee minimum prices for domestically produced NdPr oxide and heavy rare earths, aiming to eliminate the financial risk that has stalled Western refinery investment.
U.S. State Department launches FORGE initiative for supply chain coordination
The United States State Department has launched the Funding for Ore Refining and Global Extraction (FORGE) initiative, a diplomatic forum aimed at coordinating international critical mineral supply chains.
U.S. proposes $2.5 billion Strategic Resilience Reserve for mineral stockpiling
Congress is considering the Strategic Resilience Reserve legislative bill, which would allocate $2.5 billion for critical mineral stockpiling and domestic processing infrastructure.