US Provides $565 Million in Financing for Brazilian Rare Earth Project

"The market has gone absolutely crazy." That's the shared sentiment among many executives at magnetic material and motor plants. As of February 9, 2026, the price of praseodymium-neodymium (Pr-Nd) metal has reached 975,000 - 985,000 yuan per ton, marking a single-day surge of 7%. This represents a 9.4% increase compared to last week​ and a staggering over 88% jump compared to the same period last year​

Luxembourg-based Frontier Rare Earths today announced it successfully obtained a $20 million investment from South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation (IDS) and signed an offtake agreement with France's Carester. The company has now initiated the final feasibility study for its South African magnet-use rare earth and battery-grade manganese project. Frontier Rare Earths is currently advancing the development of the Zandkopsdrift project in South Africa. The project is expected to achieve an annual capacity of approximately 3,038 mt of Pr-Nd oxide, 114 mt of dysprosium oxide, and 25 mt of terbium oxide over the first 25 years.

[SMM Flash: US Provides $565 Million in Financing for Brazilian Rare Earth Project] Serra Verde (a Brazilian rare earth element producer) announced today that the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has provided it with a financing package worth $565 million, which also includes an option for the US government to acquire a minority stake in the company. Serra Verde's Pela Ema ionic clay deposit in Brazil is scheduled to commence commercial production in 2024, with an expected annual output of 5,000 mt of total rare earth oxides, including elements such as dysprosium, erbium, neodymium, and praseodymium. Serra Verde plans to use the funds to refinance existing loan facilities and expand production capacity. The project aims to increase the annual production of total rare earth oxides to 6,500 mt by 2027.