Australian mineral firm Lynas Rare Earths has produced separated dysprosium at its Malaysian rare earths plant, becoming the first producer of separated heavy rare earths outside China.
But Lynas today declined to comment on the volume of dysprosium produced at the plant.
The company built dysprosium and terbium processing circuits, capable of separating up to 1,500 t/yr of heavy rare earths, at its Malaysian plant in January-March. It will start producing separated terbium at the site next month.
The circuits will allow Lynas to eventually expand its heavy rare earth production line to include separated dysprosium, terbium, and holmium concentrate, as well as unseparated samarium/europium/gadolinium and unseparated mixed heavy rare earths.
The company's first production of dysprosium comes less than a month after some Chinese rare earth suppliers limited offers for rare earth minerals, including dysprosium and terbium, in response to the Chinese government tightening export controls.
The company produced 1,911t of rare earth oxides in January-March, including 1,509t of NdPr oxide, down by 46pc on the year because of improvement and maintenance works in Malaysia and WA.
The company is also developing another rare earth plant in Texas with US government support. The plant will produce separated heavy and light rare earths.
