日本首次从澳大利亚进口重稀土

Core Viewpoint - Australia’s Lynas Corporation has successfully separated heavy rare earth elements at its processing plant in Malaysia, marking Japan's first import of heavy rare earths from a country outside China, which dominates the global market with nearly 100% share [2][5]. Group 1: Company Operations - Lynas extracts rare earths from its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia, processes them in Malaysia into dysprosium and terbium, and then ships them to Japan [4]. - The Japanese trading company Sojitz has imported heavy rare earths produced by Lynas for the first time, which are essential for electric vehicle (EV) and wind turbine motor production [2][4]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - China accounts for 70% of global rare earth production and nearly 100% of heavy rare earths, making the establishment of a non-China dependent supply chain critical [5]. - In response to China's export controls on dysprosium and terbium, which were implemented as a retaliatory measure against U.S. tariffs, companies like Suzuki and Ford have had to pause production due to supply shortages [5]. Group 3: Future Demand and Agreements - The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that global demand for rare earths will expand to 3.4 times the 2020 levels by 2040, driven by decarbonization trends [5]. - A framework for stable rare earth procurement was agreed upon during the Japan-U.S. summit on October 28, highlighting the urgency of securing alternative supply sources [5].