REE

In an effort to secure ongoing access to Rare Earths (REEs) for its domestic industries, Japan, which in geological terms does not have much of a resource profile, has entered into a series of cooperative agreements with Kazakhstan, a nation quickly ascending into the league of top REE suppliers in the world.

The latest one of these deals, struck by the Nipponese Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation’s (JOGMEC) in late October with local Kazakh authorities to jointly explore for rare earths in the Karaganda and Kostanay regions, solidifies Japan’s foothold in the resource-rich Central Asian nation.

Policy makers in the U.S. – which is no stranger to import dependencies for critical mineral resources – should take note.  Commodity prices may have cooled in recent years, and manufacturers are increasingly looking to substitution and recycling, but these are no silver bullets to alleviate supply shortages, particularly as demand for tech minerals will likely continue to soar.

Meanwhile, the global resource wars are continuing to heat up before our very own eyes.   Japan may have learned its lesson the hard way, when China cut off its REE exports to Japan in 2010. It is now approaching its mineral supply issues strategically, with a long-term vision in mind, and is not only looking to Kazakhstan, but has also signed a partnership agreement with India to explore stakes in deep-sea mining.

Whether or not we may one day see OPEC-style coordination between China, Russia and Kazakhstan on global REE supply, as some fear, the United States, would be well-advised to join Japan in formulating a long-term critical mineral resource strategy – the stakes are too high, and the nature of mining and challenges associated with it are just not conducive to improvising policies on the fly.

Investment Intelligence Site Head Assumes Expanded Role Within ARPN

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Resources Policy Network has
 announced that Tracy Weslosky, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief for InvestorIntel, a global investment source for the resource, energy and technology sectors, and a member of the American Resources Policy Network panel of experts, will expand her role at the organization to serve as Advisor on Advanced Materials.

Founder and CEO for ProEdge, an online publisher and media production company since 2001, which owns InvestorIntel, Weslosky is also the Managing Director of REE Stocks Company Ltd. (REE Stocks). Weslosky is an authority in the resource, oil and gas, energy, technology and entertainment industry sectors. Her more-than-twenty years of experience encompass owning her own boutique investment banking and investor relations firm, as well as numerous speaking engagements and publications in the rare earths and critical materials sector, including the renowned REE Handbook – the ultimate guide on rare earths.

Says American Resources Principal Daniel McGroarty: “We’re thrilled to have Tracy expand her role at ARPN to advise us on advanced materials. With the global race for resources in full swing, the importance of this broad and fast-evolving field cannot be stressed enough, and Tracy undoubtedly has her finger on the pulse here.”

He adds: “Tracy’s vast experience in the sector will be an asset to furthering the American Resources Policy Network’s mission to promote the exploration and development of the vast mineral resources we’re fortunate to have beneath our soil, and I look forward to collaborating with her.”

To learn more about the American Resources team and our panelists,
 please visit our experts page.

In his latest column for Real Clear World, American Resources Principal Daniel McGroarty zeros in on China’s dominance of the Rare Earths market. Invoking lopsided production numbers – in spite of international efforts to develop Rare Earths outside of China, China’s supply monopoly still hovers at 95 percent – McGroarty likens China’s REE control to [...]

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