Kingsnorth: Latest 2016, 2020 REE forecasts

Non-China, or rest of world (ROW), rare earths production is expected to increase tenfold between 2011 and 2016 - that is, from 6,000 tonnes a year to 60,000 tonnes. This will approximate ROW demand of 55,000 tonnes, within total global demand of 160,000 tonnes. That was the headline from Dudley Kingsnorth’s latest REE forecasts presented at the Technology Metals Summit in Toronto. It was delivered by video link from Perth. Kingsnorth, of Industrial Minerals Co. of Australia, was formerly project manager at the Mt Weld...

China to Fight Over REEs.

Regarding WTO members possible similar actions over Chinas rare earth policies, were ready to respond at any time in line with WTO rules and procedures, Li Chenggang, the head of the ministrys legal and treaty department, told Chinas official Xinhua news agency.China is ready to fight with America and Europe at the World Trade Organisation, if they file a rare earths complaint similar to the one China just lost in other raw materials. Despite losing, China apparently feels that with the REEs, China is on...

LYNAS Receives Approval for Operating License

The Technology Metals Summit taking place in Toronto as we speak was the news in REE’s earlier today, but the news now is that The Atomic Energy Licensing Board of Malaysia has granted a two year temporary operating license to Lynas on Feb 2nd. There are several conditions, but Lynas is almost completed their refinery, the largest in the world, and they are certain to do everything they can to abide by the conditions. As a result, Lynas stock has risen 20% in Sydney in...

Lynas gets Malaysian OK. China monopoly near end

Lynas has done it. But all the signs were there that it would. On Thursday morning, the Sydney-based company announced it had been granted its temporary operating licence in Malaysia for the Lynas advanced materials plant (LAMP). As reported here on January 24, under the headline “Lynas closes the deal - and signals Malaysian approval next month”, RareMetalBlog wrote that “New York-based investment firm Mount Kellett Capital Management must be sure that Lynas Corp will soon get approval from the Malaysian government for its rare...

Lynas.

KUANTAN, Malaysia — The world’s largest refinery for rare earth metals has risen out of the red mud of a coastal swamp here and could soon obtain permission to operate — a step that would help break China’s near monopoly on rare earths but also worsen an emerging glut of some of these strategic minerals.Yesterday’s big news was the World Trade Organisation decision against China’s appeal against their earlier ruling against China’s export taxes and restrictions. While the ruling specifically covers bauxite, zinc, yellow phosphorus,...

China, the WTO and the Limits of Law

Yesterday’s World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling – holding that a range of China’s raw materials export policies violate its international trade obligations – has roiled the rare metals world and the rare earths sector in particular. While the WTO case, brought by the U.S., European Union and Mexico in mid-2009, involved nine industrial metals (bauxite, zinc, yellow phosphorus, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide and silicon metal) many of the aggrieved parties were quick to apply the ruling to China’s restrictive rare earths export policy.Witness...

LED Solar Street Lights.

Philips’ SpeedStar luminaire, incorporating LEDGINE Greenline, was the perfect fit for this project, combining an innovative carbon neutral design with a long lifetime of 60,000 hours; signaling an end to the hassle and cost of regular maintenance. More specifically, this solution offers savings of up to £10,000 through reduced maintenance alone. SpeedStar also incorporates the easy-to-upgrade LEDGINE which provides a future-proof solution that can also be connected to lighting regulation systems for further savings.One of the more interesting products that featured at this month’s Consumer...

Breaking News Gives Rise to Breaking Mineral Monopolies: China Ordered to Dismantle Export Taxes & Quotas

The breaking news today is that the appeals panel of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that that China must dismantle its framework of export taxes and quotas for nine extensively used industrial materials. This could ultimately set a precedent for the West to challenge China’s restrictive export policies on other natural resources -- namely rare earths. The Appellate Body, the WTO’s highest tribunal, has ruled that dozens of China’s export policies for bauxite, zinc, yellow phosphorus and six other industrial minerals have ultimately...

A potential sting for REE in the WTO tail

Just be careful what you wish for. There may well be joy unconfined at the ruling by the World Trade Organisation that China must dismantle its system of export taxes and quotas for nine industrial metals - rare earths are not included in the ruling, but the implications are there for all to see. The metals that are named: bauxite, zinc, yellow phosphorus, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide and silicon metal. But there are two constituencies involved here - the consumers on the one...

Rare Earth Opportunities Potential to Build Communities.

Pele Mountain has the opportunity to produce rare earth elements at the only mining camp in Canada that has produced REE’s before, potentially changing the community enormously. Their mine is in the works at Eco Ridge near Elliot Lake, ON. If they can produce soon, it would greatly alter the town. Elliot Lake was invented when uranium was found there. They used to have 12 operating mines, now there is none. I can relate, having just changed communities from Banff to Toronto due to the...

Technology Metals Summit Countdown Inspires Clarity.

The Technology Metals Summit (Itinerary: Download TMS-Agenda-Jan 27VFinalV3) is only 2 days away and counting...the WTO story is just out in the NY Times and emails are flooding in with interest. I am trying to edit a piece for the kick off Wednesday AM before Constantine Karayannopoulos, CEO, President and Director, Neo Material Technologies Inc. hits the floor at 8:15 AM with his keynote speech titled: Shortages, Surpluses and Foggy Roller Coaster Rides; Dispatches from the Rare Earth Front Lines. Interview this morning. I described...

Lithium Battery Update.

Back on January 16th, Nanomarkets.net released their very detailed update on the latest research into improvements in the anodes and cathodes of Lithium batteries. At $2,495 a copy for up to 5 readers, my Scots rational instinct kicked in, and I declined buying a copy, following the update as best I could via the mainstream media. But this is an area where great advances are expected this decade, especially 2015 onwards. Everything from fast charging, long mileage, cooler running batteries for electric vehicles, finally ushering...

The "King" Heads North for the Technology Metals Summit

I just received the best email of the day with the title: Next Week in Balmy Toronto Written by the astoundingly clever and astute Byron King, Editor, Outstanding Investments and Energy Scarcity Investor for Agora Financial; he will be a guest on the Inside and Outside China, How will the Rare Earth Market Look in 2012? panel moderated by Clint Cox, Founder of The Anchor House, Inc. on Wednesday, February 1st from 4-5 pm at the Technology Metals Summit. He writes: Next week, Ill be...

Coming Scarcity of HREE’s in Modern Apps Looks Good for Canadian Companies

Quest Rare Minerals of Montreal reported their most recent drilling results on Marketwire Jan 12th 2012, satisfying their estimates of viable deposits at Strange Lake B-Zone in Northern Quebec. The Preliminary Economic Assessment report delivered in 2010 and the Revised Resource Estimate in April 2011 were validated by their summer drilling. Peter Cashin, Quests President CEO said in Marketwire that, “We have now defined sufficient resources to more than satisfy the minimum 25-year production model established by the Preliminary Economic Assessment Report.” Not only are...

China: More Red Flags.

Apart for being the monopoly supplier of rare earths and metals to the global economy, China is now the marginal economy that keeps the western economies healthy or sick. Yes I know that Europe seemingly has a death wish all of its own making, and its politicians are dithering dolts incapable of facing up to the reality of a failing currency union, but its global trade with China that’s become or becoming what is really important in the current level of world trade, and there...

The Weekly Review: Baotou's plans, dysprosium tussle, recycling in Vietnam + new demand projections

China’s rare earth sector continues to be in flux, with what consequences we cannot yet determine. We have, on the one hand, the official industry policy and the aspirations of various players while, on the other there’s the small matter of the faltering global economy that could have severe impact on metals demand. First, the latest developments. According to the Nikkei news service, Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel High-Tech Co, the world’s largest REE producer, is moving quickly to make itself less reliant on rare earth...

International Rare Earth Experts to Gather in Toronto as REE World Hosts First Annual Technology Metals Summit, February 1-2

“Rare earths are the economic and technologic foundation of a safe and secure Nation. To possess them imparts independence, immunity to coercion, and the tools to invoke scientific advancement.” -- James B. Hedrick Toronto, ON – January 26, 2012 -- Rare Earth Element World (“REE World”), in conjunction with Pro-Edge Inc. and Market Edge Media is pleased to announce the Technology Metals Summit 2012 (www.TechnologyMetals.com) on Wednesday and Thursday, February 1st and 2nd at the Hyatt Regency in Toronto, Canada. Tracy Weslosky, Chairman of REE...

Both the Technology Metals Summit and the Medallion Monazite Facility Receive Positive Feedback

I worked till midnight, back and forth with Dudley Kingsnorth on his participation in the upcoming Technology Metals Summit in less than 1 week and counting. Dudley has been an immense supporter of mine, so I was really appreciative of the fact that he is planning on...are you ready for this...launching his 2016 and 2020 rare earths forecasts just for us.On my desk, I am staring at the Technology Metals Summit news release. I can’t seem to find one of my keynote speakers, so do...

$247 A Barrel Crude & REEs.

‘[Terra 51] is the world’s only DC rapid charger that can connect interoperably with other systems using something called OCPP, Open Charge Point Protocol,’ ABB’s UK head of sales for EV charging, Martin Hale, told The Engineer.Yesterday the Paris based International Energy Agency released a report forecasting the price of a barrel of crude oil reaching $247 by 2035. Who knows, such long range forecasting depends very much on the assumptions used, and inputs into the business model, but the IEA ought to have one...

Toyota & REEs.

Has Toyota come up with a way to make electric vehicles without using any rare earth elements? According to an article in Japan’s Kyodo News, supposedly they have and they hope to be using the new technology in about two years. Of course, this sort of story has regularly made the rounds, but if true it will be very big news in the REE sector. But then again, will the new technology really match the perfomance of REE EVs? And even if it does, if...

Lynas closes the deal - and signals Malaysian approval next month

New York-based investment firm Mount Kellett Capital Management must be sure that Lynas Corp will soon get approval from the Malaysian government for its rare earths advanced materials plant. The firm, run by former Goldman Sachs partners Mark McGoldrick and Jason Maynard, will provide $225 million through convertible bonds that can be exercised for shares at $1.25 each. TheAustralian emergingrare earths producersays this gives them the necessary folding stuff to get into production. It also means that the $125 million working facility offered back in...

Competing with China Inc.

The New York Times has a very informative, if long, article on Apple’s reliance on Chinese manufacturing and why it’s unlikely ever to change. Over simplifying, Apple gets the benefit of Chinese government subsidies to Apple’s contractors, while the contractors get the use of near serf labourers, who live in onsite dormitories, subject to near 24 hour on-call availability. The whole New York Times article is worth taking the time to read. How U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work By CHARLES DUHIG and KEITH BRADSHER...

Rare Earth's Rise for the Weekend; Cambridge House REE Line-Up

Heading to the Vancouver Resources Investment Conference in 1 hr, I look forward to moderating a panel Sunday at 9:00 am with Thom Calandra, Lawrence Roulston, and Eric Coffin. The Conference runs for the two days between January 22 and 23 and I look forward to hanging out with David Morgan and discussing our mutual interests in CurrencyCountdown.com, the investors’ guide to economic survival. Yesterday was an exciting day for the rare earths market that saw several stocks prices surge. Montero (TSXV:MON) shares rose 7.14%...

Ultracap Update.

A flashlight, for example, could run for six hours on a battery, Hall said, and would also require six hours to recharge. “An ultracapacitor could run it about an hour and it would take 60 seconds to recharge.”The other functional difference, he said, is cycle life. “You’re going to have roughly 400 to 1,000 cycles [of discharging and recharging] before you throw that battery away. With an ultracapacitor, you’re going to have millions of cycles.”Ultracapacitors, also called super capacitors, have been undergoing something of a...

Recycling EV Batteries.

With electric vehicles about to get taken more seriously in 2012, as new manufacturers enter the market and the autos become more widely available to potential buyers, the issue of the batteries becomes more of a concern. If the EV demand matches manufacturers plans, is there enough Li-ion manufacturing capacity to meet demand? Then there’s still the issue of the batteries cost. Presumably the economies of scale in mass production, in the coming on-stream new factories will kick in, helping to lower the cost of...

Update on the Launch of Lynas’ Rare Earth Refinery in Malaysia

Lynas Corp.’s (ASX: LYC) Mount Weld project in Western Australia represents one of the world’s richest rare earth deposits. The company plans to process the ore extracted from Mount Weld at its AU$220 (US$235) million facility in Kuantan, Malaysia. Before this can be done however Lynas must receive a temporary operating licence from the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licencing Board (AELB). The Board’s decision was expected on January 30, a week after the public comment period on the issue was set to close on January 17....

Tracy Weslosky on the Technology Metals Summit

Ellis Martin interviews the Executive Director of The Technology Metals Summit and the Editor/Publisher of The Rare Metal Blog, Tracy Weslosky. Ms. Weslosky is hosting the conference on February 1st and 2nd at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Toronto, Ontario Canada....

New Radar Means More Turbines.

Commonly used by military expeditionary forces, the TPS-77 is a 3D surveillance radar that is designed for long-range detection, especially in weather systems and “clutter” – the on-screen phenomenon sometimes created by wind farm rotor-blades that causes blind spots on older radar systems. The MoD had lodged objections to wind developments in a number of “strategic” locations because older systems might allow hostile aircraft to fly through unspotted. One of the last big obstacles to the construction of next generation wind farms in the UK’s...

CES 2012. China. REEs.

The 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show was the biggest such event in the show’s 44-year history, with more than 153,000 attendees, up from 149,000 a year ago.Hot trends included Ultrabooks, OLED TVs, Android 4.0 tablets, next-generation smartphones and 3D printers.The world’s consumer electronics show which was held last week in Las Vegas, was apparently the biggest and some say the best ever. With Microsoft dropping out from next year’s show, perhaps 2012 will represent something of a peak. From our rare metal blog perspective, there’s...

The Weekly Review: Optimism on Lynas, pessimism on REE prices, high hopes in the Philippines

Two ongoing stories - Lynas in Malaysia and the likely prices for rare earths - and a new one - another potential Asian player - make up this edition of RareMetalBlog’s Weekly Review. Item #1: The report during the week on RareMetalBlog regarding Lynas and a conspiracy theory about Chinese intervention in Malaysia certainly got the comments flying. Now we have a more impartial assessment, this time from Sydney-based Foster Stockbroking. It sent out a client note Monday (Australian Eastern Summer Time) suggesting this was...