Rare earth
Indian Government extends bid submission timeline for rare earth magnet manufacturing scheme
On July 29, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) of India extended timelines for the global tender under the scheme to promote manufacturing of sintered rare earth permanent magnet (REPM). The Bid Due Date has been extended from July 29, 2026, to August 12, 2026, while the opening of Technical Bids has been resched
Energy Fuels begins construction of U.S. heavy rare earth processing facility
Energy Fuels has started construction on an expansion of its White Mesa Mill in Utah to enable commercial-scale production of heavy rare earth oxides, including terbium and dysprosium, which are essential for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, robotics, data centers, renewable energy and defense application
LOHUM, India, and CSIR-IMMT sign MoU for rare-earth magnet manufacturing technology
On July 27, LOHUM and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Institute of Minerals and Materials (CSIR-IMMT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop technology for producing metallised neodymium-praseodymium, the material at the core of high-performance rare-earth permanent magnets. U
Government of India to launch eighth auction tranche for 20 critical mineral blocks
On July 15, the Ministry of Mines launched the eighth tranche of auctions for critical and strategic mineral blocks, offering 20 blocks across nine states as part of India’s push to secure key resources for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. The new tranche includes 13 newly identified blocks and seven blocks r
Vimag Labs, India secures patent for rare earth‑free, software‑defined EV motor platform
On July 8, Vimag Labs, a Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup, secured its fifth Indian patent for a rare earth‑free electric motor platform that eliminates permanent magnets from the rotor and uses software-controlled power electronics to generate the magnetic field instead. The patented “Virtual Magnet Synchronous Mot
Niron Magnetics, ASPINA join to develop rare-earth-free motor solutions
On July 13, U.S.-based Niron Magnetics, leader in rare-earth-free Iron Nitride permanent magnets, and ASPINA, Japan-based manufacturer of precision motors and actuators, announced an agreement to support rare-earth-free motor solutions across applications including automotive, industrial, consumer and emerging space
EMR Group joins REACT-UK for rare earth magnet recycling project
On July 8, EMR Group announced that it has joined REACT-UK (Rare Earth Automotive Circular Technologies for UK), which is a GBP 6.5 million project to build a UK supply chain for recycling neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets used in electric and hybrid vehicles.
The project is supported by the DRIVE35 programme and
Posco to strengthen lithium business for EV batteries
South Korea's Posco Group said it would strengthen its business for strategic resources, including lithium and rare earths for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The company aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 173,000 tons in the lithium business by 2033 and an operating profit of KRW 1.8 trillion (JPY 198
Thailand studies Kazakhstan rare earth supply for EV industry
Reported on June 27, 2026, Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister said Thailand is studying potential rare earth mineral imports from Kazakhstan as part of efforts to broaden supply chain options for its electric vehicle (EV) sector.
During discussions with Kazakh officials, Thailand highlighted critical minerals and e
AFA and Steron International announce agreement for lithium and rare earth development in Nigeria
On June 25, AFNIS Insights, the official news and intelligence platform of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit, announced that Africans for Africa (AFA) Initiative and Steron Mining Company Ltd (Steron) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate the development of critical mineral
Government of India extends rare earth permanent magnet tender deadline
On June 25, the Ministry of Heavy Industries announced that it has extended the bid submission deadline for the global tender under the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, from June 29 to July 29, 2026, with technical bid opening rescheduled from June 30 to July 30. The extension
Korea Zinc conducts government-supported R&D projects on batteries and other sectors
Korea Zinc Co., Ltd. of South Korea announced that it is undertaking six government-supported joint research and development (R&D) projects for strengthening the supply chain of national strategic industries. First, in the field of next-generation energy, the company is working with Ark Energy, its Australian subsidi
Solvay, Belgium, and Viridis, Brazil, sign LoI for rare earth materials sourcing
On June 1, Solvay signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Viridis Mining and Minerals to secure a strategic supply of rare earth materials by 2028. Both companies will now work toward finalizing a definitive sourcing agreement. Viridis is expected to supply critical rare earth feedstocks from Brazil to Solvay’s La Roch
DR Congo adds Lithium to strategic minerals list, plans higher royalties
On May 31 and June 1, multiple sources reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo approved a decree adding lithium, tantalum, niobium, tungsten, uranium, and rare earth elements to its list of strategic minerals. In DR Congo, strategic minerals attract a royalty rate of 10% instead of the current 3.5% rate for no
GlobalData blog: Is the BEV world moving away from rare-earth magnets?
Since the early 2020s, the automotive industry has been reshaped by Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). Performance and usability continue to improve, but two constraints still steer market decisions: range anxiety and rising exposure to raw-material supply risk and geopolitics.
China remains the global center of gravi
Posco and ReElement Technologies to establish rare earth separation and refining JV in United States
Posco International, a trading company of the Posco Group of South Korea, has agreed with ReElement Technologies Corporation of the United States to establish a joint venture for the separation and refining of rare earths in the United States. The two companies plan to build a new rare earth separation and refining p
Ministry of Heavy Industries, India extends REPM scheme bid deadline
On May 15, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) extended the bid submission deadline for its global tender under the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPM Scheme), citing demand from multiple stakeholders for additional time. The revised timeline is as follows: government re



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