Resumen de Rare earths supply diversifies amid first signs of recovery for market
The big shake-up on the supply-side this year has been the long-anticipated start-up of production by Australia's Lynas Corp., which has an 11,000 tpa rare earth oxide (REO) capacity at its Malaysia-based refinery; the Summit Atom Rare Earth Company (SARECO) operation in Kazakhstan, which has a capacity of 1,500 tpa; and the ramp-up of production at existing producers such as Molycorp, with its 19,000 tpa capacity.
"This has greatly improved the diversity and stability of rare earth supply outside China, particularly for the light rare earths (LREEs). Between 2013 and 2020, rare earth supply from the rest of the world is forecast to increase by over 27% per year, reaching 101,100 tpa REO in 2020," [Judith Chegwidden] said.
Meanwhile, Lynas aims to produce 2,600 tpa cerium carbonate; 1,350 tpa lanthanum carbonate; 4,000 tpa mixed cerium/lanthanum carbonate; 2,700 tpa mixed neodymium/praseodymium oxide; and 480 tpa non-separated samarium-europium-gadolinium (SEG) product from the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Kuantan, during phase one
