Critical minerals news covering lithium, cobalt, rare earths, supply chains, and strategic mineral resource developments.
China has launched a 500-tonne production line in Jiangxi province to extract rubidium and caesium from lithium waste, a global first. The facility, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, provides critical materials for aerospace, quantum computing, and biomedicine.
Tungsten West announced plans to restart the Hemerdon mine in Devon by early 2027, backed by $95.74 million from the UK's National Wealth Fund. The facility will use advanced sorting technology to provide a non-Chinese source of tungsten for European markets, addressing global supply constraints.
Blue Moon Metals, Elmet Group, and EQ Resources agreed to invest up to $175 million in the Springer Tungsten Complex in Nevada to strengthen domestic supply chains. The joint venture aims to restart operations by late 2027, addressing critical mineral dependencies.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook called for expanded cooperation in critical minerals and AI with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan during business roundtables in Seoul. The proposal aims to combine Central Asian resources with South Korean technology, building an ecosystem for critical minerals exploration and production.
A $105 million deal will see Queensland-mined tungsten sent to the US to bolster non-Chinese supply chains. EQ Resources, backed by Andrew Forrest, will supply 4,000 tonnes over eight years and invest in restarting a historic processing plant in Nevada.
American miner Almonty Industries has signed a binding agreement with Rwanda to source and process tungsten, aiming to reduce Western reliance on Chinese supply chains. The partnership aims to collect ore from small-scale license holders while building a central processing plant, following an introduction by the US Department of State under the 2025 framework.
The Canada Growth Fund committed approximately $140 million to Generation Mining Limited for its Marathon critical minerals project in Northwestern Ontario. The investment includes a $90 million equity stake and a $50 million convertible note within a broader $200 million financing round for the fully permitted copper and palladium production site.
Former Gabon environment minister Lee White argues that responsible mining investment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo offers a superior conservation strategy for the rainforest compared to traditional foreign aid. He contends that leveraging critical mineral resources empowers regional nations economically, thereby incentivizing the protection of the world's second-largest rainforest against deforestation.
MP Materials is approaching full production capacity for neodymium-praseodymium oxide at its Mountain Pass facility. Chief Financial Officer Ryan Corbett announced plans to start commercial magnet deliveries to General Motors by year-end. The company is also expanding its downstream capabilities to include dysprosium and terbium.