Lynas to plan and design rare earths facility for DoD
Australian/Malaysian company Lynas has officially received a contract from the DoD to prepare a heavy rare earth separation facility in the US.
The facility will process heavy rare earths material from the Lynas-owned Mount Weld mine in Western Australia.
Lynas had stated on 22 April that it was set to receive the contract, following a tender submission in December 2019.
Lynas and Texas-based partner Blue Line will complete a market and strategy study, including detailed planning and design for the construction of the separation facility.
Rare earths are used in permanent magnets, catalytic converters, batteries and electronics. According to Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, every F-35 Lightning II fighter includes 417kg of rare earths.
Work will be completed by June 2021.
The US and its allies regard it as strategically vital to secure supplies of rare earth metals, especially as China is a major source. The US Senate is considering a bill (the Onshoring Rare Earths Act) that would set up a domestic supply chain and require the DoD to source these minerals domestically.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain]()
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
-
![Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny]()
Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny
Governments worldwide are scrambling to decouple defence supply chains from dependency upon strategic rivals, but countries could struggle to do it all themselves.
-
![How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces]()
How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces
Saab has outlined how it is using artificial intelligence to make training more like electronic gaming, while the UK’s Power Size Technologies is applying the same technology to better evaluate and design vehicle capability, moving AI-enabled innovation further upstream from the frontline.
-
![From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)]()
From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)
Philipp von Brandenstein, Head of Corporate Communications at Rheinmetall, explains how Eurosatory 2026 marked a new stage in the company's evolution.
-
![US Pentagon pushes for major reform of defence acquisition system]()
US Pentagon pushes for major reform of defence acquisition system
The US Department of Defense has requested new contracting authorities from Congress, using the Army's MV-75 Cheyenne programme to demonstrate how competition, digital engineering and closer industry collaboration could accelerate acquisitions.
