Japan to Launch World's First Sustained Deep-Sea Rare Earth Mud Trial Mining off Minamitorishima in 2026

This week, FOB quotations in the ex-China rare earth market generally declined, with varieties such as terbium oxide and terbium metal seeing noticeable drops. However, affected by policies and weak demand, actual transaction volumes were thin, and heavy rare earth prices stayed high. Meanwhile, supply chain restructuring moves were frequent: resources at Namibia's Kameelburg increased by another 35%, Japanese capital officially entered the Lofdal project; Malaysia considered conditionally liberalizing raw ore exports; US-based Energy Fuels advanced the final investment decision for the Donald project in Australia, and Lockheed Martin signed a long-term scandium supply agreement. A survey in Japan showed that 80% of manufacturing executives considered rare earth procurement a major risk, highlighting anxiety in the industry chain.

[SMM Rare Earth Daily Review: Trading Sluggish Near Weekend, Rare Earth Prices Hold Steady] Overall, as the weekend approaches, downstream inquiry enthusiasm is low, and the trading atmosphere in the rare earth market is sluggish. However, suppliers' quotations remain relatively firm, and rare earth prices are generally stable. The stalemate in the tug-of-war between upstream and downstream persists. In the short term, influenced by the market's tug-of-war stalemate, Pr-Nd product prices may maintain a sideways movement pattern.