Here we go again, page-22

mining global

Attractive development opportunitiesOther companies lucky enough to be in a similar position include Frontier Rare Earths (TSE:FRO), with its huge project in South Africa, Rainbow Rare Earths (LON:RBW), with its small producing mine in Burundi, Northern Minerals (ASX:NTU), with its Browns Range project in Western Australia, Peak Resources (ASXEK), with its Ngualla project in Tanzania, Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS), with its Yangibana project in Australia, Crossland Strategic (ASX:CUX), with its Charley Creek project, in Australia, and Strategic Minerals (LON:SML), with its CARE project, also in Australia.That may seem like a fair old list, but consider that the number of junior listed gold mining companies runs into the hundreds, and that there are a fair-few mid-tiers and major gold mining companies too. Outside of China, in rare earths, it’s really only Lynas that boasts any size. Aside from that, mid-tier rare earth companies just don’t exist.

And yet it’s this small handful of companies which may be required to fill a gap that could potentially amount to as much of 80% of supply, if the Chinese do follow through on their rhetoric. In fact, it’s unlikely that the Chinese will restrict supply so rapidly because they themselves are hardly commodity self-sufficient, importing huge amounts of copper, iron ore and aluminium from companies that are right at the heart of the American-led trading system.