This week, the rare earth market outside China showed a divergent pattern of “cerium up, the rest down.” Driven by price increases in China and rising ocean freight rates, cerium oxide FOB and CIF prices rose by $55/mt and $60/mt, respectively, while FOB offers for mainstream magnetic material raw materials such as praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium were generally lowered by $3-19.5/kg due to lower prices in China and tight supply caused by export controls. Although limited trading volumes supported premiums in markets outside China, expectations of an industrial slowdown in Europe triggered by the Middle East situation may suppress subsequent demand. On industry developments, Lynas’ Malaysia plant started samarium oxide production ahead of schedule, consolidating its position as the only commercial heavy rare earth separator outside China and advancing its 2030 strategy. In Australia, Terrain discovered high-grade magnetic rare earth ore intervals during drilling at its Western Australia project, highlighting significant resource potential.

Australian rare earth producer Lynas announced that its Malaysia plant had successfully produced samarium oxide, making it the only producer outside China capable of separating the three heavy rare earth materials samarium, terbium, and dysprosium. The company is expected to expand its product line to include gadolinium, yttrium, and lutetium over the next two years, and to add varieties such as europium and holmium depending on returns. Recently, Lynas signed a $96 million rare earth supply memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Defense, and reached a supply agreement with Japan's JARE through 2038. Both deals set the lowest price for Pr-Nd at $110/kg. The company's rare earth oxide production reached 6,375 mt in H2 2025, up 19% YoY.

[SMM Tin Midday Review: Disagreements Between Bulls and Bears Intensify at the 260,000 Mark, SHFE Tin Prices Fluctuate Considerably] The most-traded SHFE tin contract (SN2506) opened at 262,500 yuan/mt, slightly higher than the previous trading day's closing price of 261,480 yuan/mt. The price fluctuated and consolidated during the session. In the morning, non-ferrous metals were generally under pressure, and the most-traded SHFE tin contract closed at 259,980 yuan/mt at midday, down slightly by 0.26% intraday. Trading volume and open interest decreased slightly, with a strong wait-and-see sentiment prevailing in the market.

The completion of the new production line at Solvay's La Rochelle plant in France marks the company's official commencement of rare earth magnet production and represents a significant milestone in its commitment to achieving European strategic goals. The Solvay La Rochelle plant is the largest facility outside of China capable of separating all rare earth materials. Moving forward, Solvay will begin the commercial production of rare earths. This phase is Step-1 in achieving the goal of meeting 30% of Europe's demand by 2030. In accordance with the Critical Raw Materials Act, the La Rochelle plant will source rare earths and recycled materials from various suppliers and mining partners.

The environmental impact assessment document approval information for the high-purity hydrogen production line expansion project of Huizhou Huadatong Gas Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is announced as follows: I. Basic Project Information Project Name : High-Purity Hydrogen Production Line Expansion Project of Huizhou Huadatong Gas Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Construction Location : No. 1, Aotou Youcheng West Road, Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone, Huizhou, Guangdong Construction Unit : Huizhou Huadatong Gas Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Environmental Assessment Unit : Guangdong Debao Environmental Technology Research Co., Ltd. Project Nature : Expansion Project Investment: 162.05 million yuan II. Project Overview and Announcement Period Project Overview: The project primarily utilizes hydrogen from the POX unit of CNOOC Huizhou Petrochemical Co., Ltd. to produce high-purity hydrogen. The construction includes the addition of new high-purity hydrogen production equipment, supporting power distribution rooms, PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) purification areas, and nitrogen generation stations. The project adds a high-purity hydrogen production capacity of 18,800 Nm³/h, increasing the total plant capacity from 5,000 Nm³/h to 23,800 Nm³/h. Additionally, a new raw material gas pipeline with a length of 2.5 km, a diameter of DN300, and a delivery pressure of 2.0 MPa is constructed along the existing pipe rack. Announcement Period : March 19, 2025 to March 25, 2025 V. Environmental Protection Measures Water Pollution Prevention : Optimize the water supply and drainage systems according to the principles of "separating clean and dirty water, separating rainwater and sewage, and recycling water," and improve the water recycling rate. Production wastewater is pre-treated to meet relevant standards and then discharged after being treated by the Daya Bay Petrochemical Zone Wastewater Treatment Plant. Air Pollution Prevention : Implement effective collection and treatment measures, strengthen process management, and reduce unorganized emissions of various waste gases. The unorganized non-methane total hydrocarbons within the plant boundary meet the relevant standard limits. Noise Pollution Prevention : Optimize the plant layout, select low-noise equipment, and take effective sound insulation and noise reduction measures to ensure that the plant boundary noise complies with the Class 3 standard of the "Emission Standard for Industrial Enterprises Noise at Boundary" (GB12348-2008). Solid Waste Treatment: Strictly comply with national and local regulations on solid waste management, establish and improve a full-process pollution prevention responsibility system for solid waste, maintain management records, and entrust hazardous waste to qualified units for treatment. Environmental Risk Prevention : Revise the emergency response plan for sudden environmental events, conduct environmental safety hazard investigations and management according to relevant regulations, and coordinate with regional emergency response plans.

NdFeB Scrap is the waste material that comes from neodymium-iron-boron magnets, also known as NdFeB magnets. These types of magnets are extensively used in numerous applications because of their superior magnetic properties. The scrap usually results from manufacturing processes, unused or faulty magnets, and the disposal of products containing these robust, permanent magnets at the end of their life cycle. Recycling NdFeB Scrap is crucial for both recovering valuable rare earth elements and reducing environmental impact by lessening the need for new raw material extraction.

Scrap metals include a variety of metal materials that have lost their usefulness in their original state. These can range from household items like aluminum cans to industrial components such as copper wiring. Scrap metals can be classified into different types, including ferrous metals such as iron and steel, which are magnetic, and non-ferrous metals like aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, and precious metals. Each category of scrap metal has unique properties and market values, making proper classification essential for recycling and resale purposes.

[Lithium iron phosphate: Application for lithium iron phosphate recovery method of Defang Nano] Qujing Defang Nano Science and Technology Co., Ltd. has applied for a patent named "A method for recovering lithium iron phosphate from lithium iron phosphate waste and battery-grade lithium iron phosphate", with a publication number of CN202410194710.6 and an application date of February 2024. The steps include: mixing lithium iron phosphate waste and an ion exchanger in a solvent to carry out an ion exchange reaction to obtain a mixed solution, where the ion exchanger includes soluble lithium salt and/or ammonium salt; separating and obtaining a solid product from the mixed solution; roasting the solid product to obtain lithium iron phosphate. Based on the total weight of lithium iron phosphate, the chemical composition of lithium iron phosphate meets Na≤150ppm, K≤150ppm, S≤100ppm, C≤2%. The lithium iron phosphate product recovered by the method provided in this application has high purity and structural stability, and can be used as battery-grade lithium iron phosphate.

Rare earth elements play a crucial role in various industries, driving technological advancements and sustainable practices. The fluctuations in rare earth prices have been a topic of interest, with recent trends showing significant changes. Understanding the market influences behind these rare earth price shifts is essential for stakeholders to navigate this dynamic landscape effectively.

On April 25, ZEEKR, Geely's premium new energy vehicle brand, officially launched the Sustainable Experience Architecture-M (SEA-M) at the Auto China 2024 in Beijing.