The US Department of Defense (DoD) has told rare earths miner Lynas of its intent to award the Australia-based company with a Phase 1 contract for a US-based heavy rare earths separation facility.
The Phase 1 funding will allow Lynas and its joint venture partner Blue Line to complete detailed planning and design work for the construction of the heavy rare earths separation facility, which could lead to further contracts for commercial scale production and operation of a US heavy rare earth separation facility. Lynas CEO and MD Amanda Lacaze said that the award of the Phase 1 contract created the foundation for a facility in the US that would assist the country in avoiding the supply chain vulnerability that has been exposed over the past year.