美国稀土要去中国化？国防部、商务部联手砸钱自救，目标抢回市场

Group 1 - The U.S. government is providing a total of up to $1.4 billion in funding to Vulcan Elements, a domestic rare earth magnet manufacturer, to support the construction of a factory with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of rare earth magnets [1][2] - The funding includes a $620 million loan from the Department of Defense, $50 million in equity from the Department of Commerce, and $550 million from private investors [1][2] - Rare earth permanent magnets are critical for various applications, including F-35 fighter jets, missile guidance systems, electric vehicles, and wind turbines, with China controlling over 90% of the high-end rare earth permanent magnet market [1][4] Group 2 - The funding is part of the expanded budget authorized by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which initially focused on semiconductor manufacturing and research but has now extended to the development and processing of critical minerals [2] - The U.S. Department of Commerce emphasized that over-reliance on a single country for rare earth magnets poses potential risks, while the Pentagon highlighted the need to rebuild self-sufficiency in the defense supply chain [2] Group 3 - Despite the support for Vulcan, the company still relies partially on overseas sources for rare earth materials, particularly from Australia and Africa, making complete self-sufficiency unrealistic in the short term [6] - The U.S. has faced a long-standing gap in rare earth mining and processing capabilities, with China dominating the global supply chain, controlling approximately 70% of rare earth mineral production and over 90% of high-end rare earth permanent magnets [4][6] Group 4 - Vulcan Elements raised $65 million in a recent funding round to expand its rare earth magnet production and signed a five-year supply agreement with ReElement Technologies for thousands of tons of rare earth oxides starting in 2026 [8] - The rare earth oxides supplied by ReElement will come from outside China, utilizing a different processing technology that is significantly cheaper than the long-term purchase agreement prices with the Department of Defense and MP Materials [8] Group 5 - MP Materials, another U.S. rare earth company, plans to achieve record production of 563 tons of praseodymium-neodymium oxide by Q1 2025 and aims to commercialize neodymium-iron-boron magnets by the end of 2025 [6] - MP Materials has also received a $50 million advance payment from downstream customers for neodymium-iron-boron magnets [6] Group 6 - Lynas Rare Earth, an Australian company, is advancing its projects and has successfully produced its first batch of dysprosium oxide in Malaysia, while facing challenges due to tariffs imposed by the U.S. and China [11] - Lynas is negotiating new sales agreements with customers and shifting to a direct pricing strategy, moving away from reliance on price indices based in China [11] Group 7 - The U.S. rare earth strategy includes international cooperation, with MP Materials signing an agreement with Saudi Arabia's Maaden to establish a vertical rare earth supply chain in the country [13] - This project aims to reduce production costs and challenge China's competitiveness in the rare earth sector by leveraging Saudi Arabia's low energy costs and favorable geographic location [13] Group 8 - Recent export control measures by China have significantly impacted rare earth prices, with dysprosium oxide prices in Europe skyrocketing from $283 per kilogram to $850 per kilogram following export restrictions [15] - The U.S. Secretary of Commerce stated the necessity for the U.S. to rebuild its manufacturing base and secure core materials to ensure the proper functioning of technology [15]