Rare Earth Prices Surge, Magnetic Material Factories Halt Quotations Amid Market Volatility

[SMM Rare Earth Overseas] As of 12:00 a.m. today, FOB neodymium oxide was quoted at $160-192/kg, FOB praseodymium oxide at $125-129/kg, FOB terbium oxide at $1,153-1,241/kg, and FOB dysprosium oxide at $274-328/kg. FOB terbium metal was quoted at $1,441-1,525/kg. The across-the-board rise in rare earth prices this round was mainly driven by domestic price increases in China, with heavy rare earth posting particularly notable gains, and dysprosium and terbium each rising $20-50/kg. Overseas inquiry frequency increased significantly this week, but short-term spot transactions remained difficult due to controls and approval cycle constraints.

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the H.R.7037 bill, known as the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act (DOMINANCE ACT, referred to as the "Domination Act"). The bill was jointly introduced by California Representatives Ami Bera and Young Kim, aiming to strengthen U.S. energy security and build a more resilient supply chain with trusted allies and partners.

Aldoro Resources reported that hydrometallurgical testing of the Kameelburg niobium and rare earth deposit in Namibia yielded encouraging results, with a simple process but relatively high recoveries of rare earths and strontium, while drilling also intersected high-grade niobium ore. Tests commissioned by the company and conducted by ALS Metallurgy Services in Western Australia showed that Kameelburg can be treated using a direct acid leaching method, eliminating the need for flotation or magnetic separation processes used at MP Materials' Mountain Pass operation in the US and Lynas Rare Earth's Mt Weld rare earth mine in Western Australia. The hydrochloric acid leaching process can be carried out at ambient temperature and pressure, and if scaled up, is expected to significantly reduce development costs.