Electrified Thermal Solutions announced the opening of their new headquarters and production facility in the Boston-area, expanding production capacity for its proprietary electrically conductive firebricks to meet growing demand for its Joule Hive thermal battery.
USA Rare Earth, Inc. announced the successful commissioning of its commercial magnet production line at its facility in Stillwater, Okla. The commissioning of Phase 1a enables the company to begin fulfilling customer orders for sintered neodymium–iron–boron permanent magnets in the second quarter of 2026.
In a major win for U.S. critical mineral supply chains, Energy Fuels successfully produced high-purity terbium oxide in Utah from ore mined in Florida and Georgia, demonstrating the first U.S. mine to oxide capability to provide a secure western source of “heavy” rare earth oxides.
Apollo Funds entered into definitive agreements to acquire Nippon Sheet Glass Company, a global manufacturer of architectural, automotive and solar glass. The transaction will be Apollo Funds’ largest private equity investment in Japan to date, totaling nearly $3.7 billion.
Lynas Rare Earths signed a framework agreement with LS Eco Energy to partner on producing rare earth metals. This arrangement will involve various Lynas products at a new rare earth metal facility that LS Eco Energy will build in Vietnam.
Holcim and Sweden-based SaltX Technology signed a joint development agreement to advance electrified cement manufacturing, targeting fossil-free clinker production. The agreement builds on an existing partnership between the two companies.
The European Union and Australia agreed to a sweeping trade deal last week. The agreement, which resulted from almost eight years of talks, would remove most of the tariffs the two sides had imposed on each other’s goods and would allow the EU greater access to critical mineral supplies from Australia.
Following the support for its Christmas lectures, the Society of Glass Technology is introducing a new “Lunch & Learn” series. This online series consists of 30-minute glass related talks designed to fit into a lunch break. The sessions will be held on the last Friday of each month from 1:30–2 p.m. GMT.
A 60 Minutes episode tells the story of how Chicago hedge fund manager James Litinsky turned the flooded mine at Mountain Pass into a pivotal player in the rare earths market through his company, MP Materials.
European companies that import semiconductors from Asia are tapping into backup stores and paying more for deliveries as the Iran war causes disruption to air freight routes through the Middle East. Currently, global air freight capacity is down around 9% compared to pre-war levels.
Germany and the Republic of Korea are increasingly finding themselves on the back foot in securing rare earth supplies, even as countries such as the United States and Japan move quickly to lock in access through strategic deals and investments. The imbalance is becoming more visible amid China’s prolonged restrictions on rare earth exports.
The Iran war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz have led to rising international prices for oil and gas. Germany and the UK have taken action: they have made wind energy a key pillar of their immediate responses to the new energy crisis.
Several Southeast Asian nations are reviving mothballed nuclear plans and setting ambitious targets and nearly half of the region could, if they pursue those goals, have nuclear energy in the 2030s. Even countries without current plans have signaled their interest.
