[ExI] too late

[Ben Zaiboc]

On 25/11/2025 03:23, spike wrote:
>
> The manufacture of domestic rare earth magnets has resumed.  The 
> refineries we were told would take years are going again.
>
> eVAC Magnetics based in South Carolina demonstrated one of its new 
> products today, made in USA.
>
> https://evac-magnetics.com/
>


Ignoring the bad english, and use of the old 'Up to...', let's suppose 
they can actually make rare-earth magnets as claimed. Where are they 
getting the Neodymium from? No mention of that, no mention of any 
rare-earth refineries. No indication that they aren't getting the 
neodymium from china.

"leading the effort to 're-shore' (?? I assume that must mean 'restore', 
or maybe it's meant to imply that without actually committing to it) 
critical mineral and rare-earth magnet supply chains to America" is the 
only reference to anything suggesting domestic rare-earths, and it's 
really just a marketing phrase, not evidence (or even a claim) of 
anything concrete.

They seem to be carefully avoiding any mention of where the neodymium 
actually comes from. If it is really mined and refined in the US, I see 
no reason for this. I should think they would be trumpeting it. Instead 
we have weasel words intended to make the reader assume it.

Not half as reassuring as it seems, I think.

OK, after a little bit of ferreting, I found that they are linked to 
Ucore, who have rare-earth processing facilities in Louisiana and 
Ontario. It seems my pessimism is unwarranted (somebody has to be a 
pessimist here, if just to balance spike's unbounded optimism). But why 
the evasive language? Why aren't they stating that the neodymium they 
use is mined and refined in north america? Politics? (don't mention 
canada!).

Further ferreting found: "Ucore plans to import thousands of metric tons 
of high-purity rare earth feedstocks from around the world to its 
Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex through the Port of New Orleans."

So not mined in north america, then, but processed in the US.

Oh, Greenland! Of course!
https://www.stocktitan.net/news/UURAF/ucore-executes-supply-agreement-with-critical-metals-754kbfxy924r.html
"... 10-year arrangement will source materials from CMC's Tanbreez 
Project in Greenland to supply Ucore's Strategic Metals Complex in 
Louisiana and Commercial Demonstration Facility in Ontario"

Also Australia
https://www.stocktitan.net/news/UURAF/ucore-signs-heads-of-agreement-with-wyloo-and-hastings-to-secure-b0ev90am4vy8.html

So maybe eVac are just fudging round the fact that the rare-earths are 
not from america, while still implying it. Why, I don't know. I see no 
benefit, and potential harm, if people find out they are not lying, 
exactly, but certainly bending the truth. They could have just said 
"rare-earths mined in the western world and refined in the US..."

-- 
Ben

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