“A company can announce when a plant will open, but only years of operating experience will determine when it becomes a reliable industrial producer. America will rebuild its rare earth industry by restoring the knowledge, discipline and customer confidence that were lost over decades—not by announcing production dates.” — Jack Lifton, Co-Chair, Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) -- READ: America’s Rare Earth Industry Cannot Be Rebuilt on a Production Schedule https://bit.ly/3RZZar2 cc: InvestorNews Inc.
Ellen Batzel
8h
An obvious fact which apparently is not obvious to the Varangian hordes …
Strongly agree. Announced capacity and reliable industrial output are two very different things. This is particularly visible in Dy/Tb separation, where plant performance depends on years of operating discipline: managing variable feedstocks, stabilising solvent extraction circuits, controlling impurities and consistently meeting customer specifications. I recently made a similar point about the operating knowledge gap in Western rare earth separation. Rebuilding capacity will require not only capital and equipment, but also operators, hydrometallurgists, analytical capabilities and long-term customer qualification.