Chile and US Sign Joint Statement to Consult on Rare Earths and Critical Minerals

US critical minerals miner Critical Metals announced a $30 million plan to rapidly develop the Tanbreez heavy rare earth project in Greenland. This funding will advance drilling, infrastructure, engineering design, and metallurgical programs, with the goal of commencing the first batch of ore production in Q4 2028 or Q1 2029, and starting rare earth concentrate exports in Q3 2029.

US fertilizer producer Mosaic and UK-based Rainbow Rare Earths agreed today to advance the rare earth project in Uberaba, Brazil. The two companies planned, based on the feasibility study results, to establish a processing plant in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, with the final agreement to be negotiated by a jointly owned project company. Construction is expected to take place in 2027.

Australia's Lynas Rare Earths signed a binding letter of intent with the US Department of Defense to supply the US side with light and heavy rare earth oxides worth $96 million over four years, with a floor sales price for Pr-Nd of $110/kg. Based on this, the two sides will finalise a definitive agreement and discuss further cooperation on heavy rare earth supply. The agreement followed Lynas's expanded supply arrangement with Japan's JARE. Under the March 10 agreement, JARE will purchase at least 5,000 mt of Pr-Nd oxide annually at a floor price of $110/kg and buy 50% of Lynas's heavy rare earth production. The price floor matched the 10-year price commitment the US made to MP Materials last year, signalling that Western clients were willing to pay a premium for "non-China" rare earths.