The week saw increasing pressure on global raw material supply chains, with China tightening its grip on rare earths and the EU facing tensions over its partnership with Rwanda. Meanwhile, the only rare earth miner in the United States, MP Materials, reported figures for the fourth quarter—the details in our roundup.
La Chine resserre l'étau sur l'industrie des terres rares avec un nouveau projet de réglementation
The Chinese government seeks to tighten its control over the domestic rare earth industry further through a set of new regulations published Wednesday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Among other things, the proposal outlines a traceability system for the sector to provide the government with additional information regarding the origin, supply chain, and export of rare earths. The ministry invites stakeholder comments on the draft regulations until March 21.
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MP Materials Q4: Net Loss Despite Technical Milestones
MP Materials published its fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday. The U.S.-based rare earth company reported another loss compared to the same period last year, primarily due to investments in business expansion. However, revenue saw a significant year-over-year increase of almost 50%, reaching $61 million.
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South Korea Launches Fund to Stabilize Critical Mineral Supply Chains
To strengthen the supply chains of critical minerals essential to South Korea’s high-tech industries, the government in Seoul seeks to join forces with the private sector. On Tuesday, the Critical Mineral Investment Council held its inaugural meeting, discussing strategies for promoting domestic and international investments in the field. A central outcome is the plan to launch a special supply chain stabilization fund to catalyze $34.7 million (50 billion won) in public-private investments annually.
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EU Parliament Calls for Suspension of Raw Materials Partnership With Rwanda
The EU aims to reduce its reliance on a handful of supplier countries through raw materials partnerships. However, a deal announced in February 2024 with Rwanda is now in jeopardy. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted in favor of suspending the agreement, citing substantial evidence of Rwandan troops operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and supporting the M23 rebel group, which stands accused of war crimes. Additionally, Rwanda is allegedly exporting minerals from rebel-controlled areas of the DRC.
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Insights from Project Blue Ahead of the Critical Materials Conference: EV & Battery 2025
Ahead of the Critical Materials Conference: EV & Battery 2025, we asked David Merriman, Research Director at market intelligence firm Project Blue a few questions on global trade tensions, the EU’s supply chain challenges, and shifting EV battery chemistries.
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