Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 30

MP Materials announced that it has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to establish a strategic joint venture with the state owned Saudi Arabian Mining Company, Maaden, to develop a rare earth refinery in the Kingdom. This binding agreement between the three parties follows the strategic framework for cooperation on securing critical supply chains reached between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MP Materials said the move is a pivotal step toward rebalancing the global rare earth supply chain and aligns with U.S. economic and national security interests. The joint venture is structured to ensure U.S. oversight and alignment with national security objectives. Under the agreement, MP Materials and the Department of Defense, through a joint venture, will hold an equity position targeted at 49 percent in the joint venture, with Maaden holding a position of no less than 51 percent. Separately, an MP executive appeared before a U.S. congressional committee on Wednesday to encourage Washington to broaden its financial support for the minerals and manufacturing industries.

Next, The U.S. Department of Energy announced $355 million for two notices of funding opportunities issued by DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy to expand domestic production of critical materials essential for advancing U.S. energy production, manufacturing, transportation and national defense. The first funding opportunity provides up to $275 million for American industrial facilities capable of producing valuable minerals from existing industrial and coal byproducts. The second provides up to $80 million to establish Mine of the Future proving grounds for real-world testing of next-generation mining technologies.

Finally, South32 announced that it has chosen Emerson to provide advanced automation solutions and engineering expertise to support the zinc deposit of the Hermosa mine project in Arizona. The multi-million-dollar automation project will deploy integrated remote operations systems for South32’s first ‘next generation mine,’ enabling the production of critical minerals while minimizing environmental impact. Global demand for zinc, silver and lead is forecast to rise roughly 10–25 percent by 2035, driven by industrial growth, electrification and renewable energy expansion. The Hermosa project will produce those critical metals and others to support transportation infrastructure, battery production, construction, defense technologies, solar energy and corrosion-resistant steel manufacturing for a low-carbon future. “The Hermosa project represents the kind of forward-looking investment that drives both economic growth and energy security,” said Ram Krishnan, chief operating officer of Emerson.

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