Countering China’s Rare-Earth Monopoly | Canada’s First REE Producer | REE & the New Race to the Moon, and more

Japan Eyes Recycling Rare Metals to Reduce Reliance on China, Others  (Kyodo News)
The industry ministry plans to set up a site in Japan to recycle rare metals procured in and out of the country, as demand for such materials is set to grow for use in electric vehicles, ministry sources said Monday.
The plan is also intended to reduce the nation’s heavy reliance on foreign countries for its procurement of rare metals. China, for example, accounts for more than 60 percent of Japan’s rare earth imports.

Rare Earth Quandary: China Has U.S. by the Throat  (Dave Makichuk, Asia Times)
‘The good news is that friendly nations like Canada, Australia, and India are naturally rich in rare earths’.

China Tightens Rules on Rare Earths Amid Global Race  (Global Times)
China has moved to further heighten regulation of rare earths production in a new guideline, a move that aims to develop and conserve these resources to meet rising domestic demand and protect the strategic resource amid an intensifying global competition, analysts say.

British Firm Cracks Electric Car Motor Conundrum  (Alan Tovey, The Telegraph)
AEM’s ‘switched reluctance motors’ can operate without permanent magnets which means they don’t need rare earth metals.

The New Race to the Moon: the Artemis Alliance vs. the Sino-Russian Axis  (Mark Whittington, The Hill)
Space News recently reported that China and Russia have signed a memorandum of understanding to build what the two countries call an “International Lunar Research Station” (ILRS).
Whether deliberate or not, the two countries have formed an axis against what has come to be known as the Artemis Alliance being formed by NASA with a number of countries and commercial partners. In effect, China and Russia have challenged the United States and the rest of the world to a new race to the moon.
The moon has a number of resources, ranging from rare earths, to platinum-group metals, to industrial metals such as titanium, iron and aluminum. Helium-3, an isotope embedded in lunar soil, could serve as fuel for future fusion power plants.
In short, the side that first exploits lunar resources effectively will be the side that creates a space-based industrial revolution enabled by lunar resources. Either the Sino-Russian Axis or the Artemis Alliance will own the future.

China Rare Earths Extend Surge on Worries over Myanmar Supply, Inspection Threat  (Reuters / Miningdotcom)
Looming inspections and concerns over Myanmar supplies are adding fresh momentum to a rally in prices of the rare earth minerals used in industries from turbines to telecoms that are already at their highest in nearly a decade.
A price index published by China’s rare earths association shot up more than 40% from October last year to the end of January, and has climbed an additional 25% since, fuelled by the risks to supply.