Rare earths
Overview
Rare earths or rare earth elements (REE) are crucial to modern society, driving innovation across automotives, electronics, renewable energy, healthcare, defence and aerospace, and as a catalyst in industrial and chemical processing.
As demand for highly engineered products continues to grow, manufacturers that rely on rare earths face a limited supply of marketable product outside a handful of Chinese producers.
Argus Rare Earths Analytics and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets address this unique challenge in the rare earths industry by delivering price data and forecasts through on-the-ground expertise and a proven methodology that supports long-term outlooks as well as supply and demand fundamentals.
Rare earths coverage
Argus produces more than 70 price assessments for the 17 rare earth elements, as well as delivering best-in-class data, news and analysis to support your decision making. In addition, the Argus Rare Earths Analytics service also provides market analysis and 10-year forecasts for supply, demand, prices and projects across key rare earths:
- Cerium prices
- Dysprosium prices
- Erbium prices
- Europium prices
- Gadolinium prices
- Lanthanum prices
- Mischmetal prices
- Neodymium prices
- Praseodymium prices
- Praseodymium-neodymium prices
- Samarium prices
- Terbium prices
- Yttrium prices
Latest rare earth news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global rare earth industry.
Indonesia’s Ni expansion via HPAL could face challenges
Indonesia’s Ni expansion via HPAL could face challenges
Singapore, 3 October (Argus) — Indonesia is expected to continue expanding its nickel production in the coming years, especially through increasing its high-pressure acid-leaching (HPAL) capacity, but the lack of readily available sulphuric acid and proper management of the tailings waste could pose challenges to this plan. Production is expected to rise despite an anticipated surplus in the supply of nickel in the market. Sulphuric acid is used in the HPAL process to separate nickel and cobalt from nickel ore to produce mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), which is the feedstock for the downstream processing of nickel sulphate, cathode and battery. Indonesia is expected to produce 325,000-345,000t of MHP this year, up from around 269,000t of in 2023, according to market sources. But with several MHP projects planned to come online in the next few years, MHP output for the next three years is projected to treble to 800,000-900,000t, according to the country's deputy minister for the co-ordinating ministry for maritime and investment affairs Septian Hario Seto on 2 October at a metal event in London. As this would require a lot more nickel ore and sulphuric acid, there are concerns that the availability of limonite ore could deplete as fast as the saprolite ore supply, which is mainly used for nickel pig iron and matte production. There were also discussions that the Indonesian government will convene with nickel market participants to discuss about the supply situation of limonite ore. There are currently four HPAL facilities operating in Indonesia. This includes Huayou's Huayue and Huafei projects , GEM's QMB project and Lygend's HPAL project. Others were also concerned that the availability of sulphuric acid could be a limiting factor to Indonesia's rapid expansion of HPAL production, as sulphuric acid demand from Indonesian HPAL projects is expected to reach 7.12mn t in 2025, almost 40pc increase from this year's demand at 5.17mn t, according to Argus estimates. Indonesia has been importing sulphuric acid from mainly China and South Korea to meet the growing demand for its production units at Obi Island and Sulawesi. But a ramp-up in sulphur-burning operations has pushed several MHP producers like Halmahera Persada Lygend to switch to buying lower-cost sulphur instead. For most sulphur burners, 1t of sulphur produces around 3t of sulphuric acid. The startup of Freeport McMoran's Manyar smelter in Java integrated industrial and port estate in East Java's Gresik, coupled with mining firm Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara's (AMNT) copper smelter in the West Sumbawa regency of Nusa Tenggara province, is also expected to alleviate some supply concerns, with the two expected to add at least 3mn t/yr of acid capacity by the end of 2025. Proper disposal of tailings waste could pose another challenge to Indonesia's planned HPAL expansion, particularly with increasing scrutiny on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards by Indonesia's mining industry. The HPAL process generates a large volume of tailings, with energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie estimating an output of 1.4-1.6t of waste from every 1t of nickel produced through HPAL. There are three common ways to dispose tailings waste – tailings dam, deep sea tailings and dry stacking. Dry stacking is more widely used because it is considered as the more sustainable option. But dry stacking also comes with its own environmental and biodiversity risks, as Indonesia's seasonal wet weather and seismic activity of the site could be a problem for waste storage. To ensure a smooth expansion in HPAL production, it is crucial for Indonesia to find ways to secure the necessary sulphuric acid supplies and to adopt appropriate methods for tailings waste disposal. By Sheih Li Wong and Deon Ngee Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Aurubis keeps European Cu premium at $228/t
Aurubis keeps European Cu premium at $228/t
London, 2 October (Argus) — Europe's largest copper producer and recycler, Aurubis, will maintain a premium of $228/t to the official London Metal Exchange (LME) copper price for 2025, unchanged for a third consecutive year, the company told customers last week. The annual premium for Europe, which is set on an fca basis, was lifted by 85pc from the 2022 premium to $228/t for 2023, owing to increased production costs primarily linked to higher energy prices, and high freight charges aligned with tight supply and steady demand. This dynamic has remained in place in Europe's copper market over the past two years, and has also been reflected in extremely stable spot market pricing for premiums during this time. Argus assessed the spot premium for grade A copper cathode delivered to Germany at $180-200/t on 1 October, virtually unchanged from a year ago. South American copper producers have not yet settled a separate 2025 premium with European customers, but it could come in below the Aurubis figure, market participants said. Subdued European demand for copper prevented any uplift in the Aurubis annual premium. Consumers maintain a bearish outlook for next year because of sluggish activity in downstream sectors, with the construction sector being particularly quiet. Three-month copper prices on the LME climbed to $10,024/t in today's official session, surpassing $10,000/t for the first time since June. The rise follows optimism in the market because of China's announcement of new economic stimulus measures last week, supported by an increase in oil prices following Iran's missile attack on Israel yesterday. By Roxana Lazar Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Commerce finalizes Al extrusion duties
US Commerce finalizes Al extrusion duties
Houston, 1 October (Argus) — The US Department of Commerce (DOC) issued final affirmative determinations in the trade investigation against aluminum extrusions originating from 14 countries. The DOC finalized antidumping duty rates ranging from 2.02pc up to 376.85pc and countervailing duty rates between 1.44pc and 168.81pc across a handful of exporting countries nearly a year after the US Aluminum Extruders Coalition (USAEC) and the United Steelworkers union petitioned the investigation. Tariffs will be applicable to 14 different countries — China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, which represented 65pc of the combined US imports of the products included in the investigation in 2023. Aluminum extrusions are typically formed from billets of aluminum alloy by extruders and used in applications across the construction and automotive end markets, as well as many others. The product forms specific to the investigation include aluminum and aluminum alloy bars and rods, hollow profiles, tubes and pipes, tube and pipe fittings, windows, doors as well as their thresholds, and other structural ornamental work. The initial petition was filed on 4 October 2023, followed by the initiation of investigations by the DOC on 24 October 2023 and the affirmation of material injury in the countervailing duty investigation by the DOC was determined on 5 March 2024 as well as the antidumping duty investigation's affirmative ruling by the DOC on 2 May 2024. The antidumping duty investigation involved China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, while the countervailing duty investigation included China, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey. Many individual companies within each country were assigned specific rates by the DOC based on the firm's pricing behavior. Some companies' import levies are sharply higher than the broader country-wide rates, while others received much lower tariff rates. Duty rates announced on 27 September mandate the cash deposit rates required by foreign extruders moving forward but will ultimately be finalized through a DOC administrative review process slated to conclude in another year. A final vote by the International Trade Commission is scheduled for 30 October. By Nicholas Bell Country-wide Rates Country Antidumping Countervailing Cash Deposits China 376.85% 14.56% 365.13% Colombia 11.62% na na Ecuador 18.50% na na India 19.53% na na Indonesia 9.51% 6.69% 9.50% Italy 13.19% na na Malaysia 16.51% na na Mexico 15.07% 1.69% 14.40% South Korea 3.13% na na Taiwan 34.30% na na Thailand 3.19% na na Turkey 12.95% 1.44% 12.75% United Arab Emirates 10.48% na na Vietnam 41.84% na na U.S. Department of Commerce * Cash Deposit Rate accounts for antidumping duty and countervailing duty subsidy offsets Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Acquisition propels Pure Lithium's LVO battery
Acquisition propels Pure Lithium's LVO battery
Houston, 1 October (Argus) — Battery manufacturer Pure Lithium is acquiring vanadium cathode material producer Dimien's assets to advance commercial development of its lithium metal-vanadium (LVO) battery, which it touts as being safer, cheaper and more efficient than traditional electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Massachusetts-based Pure Lithium will get New York-based Dimien's intellectual property and manufacturing equipment, along with its some of its personnel, as part of the deal, the company said today. Neither financial details nor the acquisition's closing date were disclosed. Dimien has developed a class of vanadium-based cathode material known as zeta vanadium oxide (ZVO) that Pure Lithium plans to pair with the lithium metal anode it is developing with Canada-based lithium producer E3 Lithium. Using that cathode will allow for greater energy density and reduce fire risks associated with nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and nickel-manganese-aluminum (NMA) lithium-ion batteries, Pure Lithium said. Pure Lithium, which began as an electrode maker, aims to scale its vertically integrated production process that can turn out lithium metal-vanadium batteries in 48 hours, it said. Pure Lithium and E3 intend to explore the construction of a commercial battery facility near the latter's lithium brines in Alberta. By Alex Nicoll Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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The race is on to develop new rare earth supply chains outside China. Read the latest white paper from the Argus team to understand the impact of rising geopolitical tensions and demand from the energy transition.
