Rare Earth News

U.S., EU, Japan plan October rare earths meeting

United States officials will meet with representatives from the European Union and Japan in Washington in early October to discuss ways that the demand for raw materials can be cut, with Canada as a possible player in the talks, according to Reuters.

The three nations will team up to create ways to better use what minerals are available outside of China, which recently dropped its exports significantly.

"There is a growing market for these products and we need to be able to keep producing them," Jeff Skeer of the office of policy and international affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy told the media outlet. "We need to find out how can you use less and how can you get more."

Skeer said that talks are likely to also include officials from Canada, as the nation has several regions that are rich in rare earth deposits that are currently being explored.

Of Canada's new developments, some of the most promising are found in Quebec, where there are currently 41 exploration projects assessing excavation of the precious minerals, according to CBC News.