August 14 SMM Rare Earth Afternoon Trading Comment

[SMM Rare Earth Daily Review: Rare Earth Prices Remain Stable Overall, Market Trading Continues to Be Weak] Overall, the market lacks clear directional guidance, with most product quotes holding steady and trading activity remaining subdued: Pr-Nd inquiries are limited, with actual negotiations focused on low-priced cargoes; terbium sellers are increasingly willing to offer discounts, with transactions mostly settling at lower levels; dysprosium, gadolinium, holmium, and erbium inquiries are stable, with deals dominated by small rigid-demand orders. In the short term, given the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Pr-Nd product prices may drift higher, supported by pre-holiday stockpiling demand from magnetic material enterprises, but whether the gains can be sustained will depend on the actual fulfillment of downstream orders.

【SMM Rare Earth Flash】 U.S. rare earth producer USA Rare Earth (USAR) has completed its US$2.8 billion acquisition of Brazilian producer Serra Verde, adding one of the few operating heavy rare earth mines outside Asia to its growing mine-to-magnet business. Serra Verde's Pela Ema ionic clay operation in Brazil is expanding toward a target capacity of 6,400 t/y of rare earth oxides, providing USAR with direct dysprosium and terbium supply. The deal is the latest step in USAR's effort to build a fully integrated rare earth supply chain spanning mining, separation, metals, and magnets. The company fully consolidated the Round Top project in Texas in March and acquired UK-based metals and alloys producer Less Common Metals last September. The transaction is backed by government support: Serra Verde's production is covered by a 15-year offtake agreement, and USAR has secured up to US$1.6 billion in funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Former Serra Verde CEO Thras Moraitis has joined USAR's board and will assume the CEO role on October 1.