Rare Earth

Australia's Lynas Corp is set to clear the final hurdle for its delayed USD800 million rare earths plant after Malaysian lawmakers asked the government to issue the miner a temporary operating license despite community safety concerns, Reuters reported today.

Australian rare earths miner Lynas has launched legal action against the most vitriolic opponents of its proposed plant in Malaysia following fierce criticism that it is unsafe, according to AFP.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and the Japan Metals & Chemicals Co., Ltd. today jointly announced the establishment of the world's first process to extract rare earth metals from various used parts in Honda products

Japanese high-tech firm Hitachi Wednesday unveiled an electric motor that does not use "rare earth," aiming to cut costs and reduce dependence on imports of the scarce minerals from China, according to news agency AFP.

Not being a fan of unnecessary competition, China’s government has announced plans to re-organize the country’s rare earth mining industry into two or three large players. The move, however, will do nothing to ease international trade tensions related to the export of these minerals On the side of the annual session of the Nataional People's Congress minister of industry and information technology Miao Wei that China will retain limits on rare-earth export quotas after the industry rationalization. This will no doubt reinforce the intent of the US government launch a trade suit against China at the World Trade Organization over its restrictions on the exports of rare earth.