lynas & basf

In view of the recent discussions around contracts with potential customers, I wonder if the below announcement from the BASF website dated 1/09/2011 still stands.....

If so, then it would be a real positive to have such a large chemicals company on board as a customer......



BASF and Lynas Corporation establish long-term Rare Earth supply agreement

ISELIN , NJ, September 1, 2011 – BASF Corporation today announced that it has signed a long-term supply agreement with Lynas Corporation, a fully integrated provider of Rare Earth materials based in Sydney, Australia.

Under terms of the agreement, Lynas will supply BASF with a pre-determined annual volume of lanthanum, which is key raw material used in the production of BASF's fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) refinery catalysts and certain chemical catalyst products These volumes will be supplied from Lynas’ Rare Earth separation plant in Kuantan, Malaysia, which is expected to come on line during the fourth quarter of 2011 with 11,000 metric tons of total annual production capacity and subsequently expand to 22,000 metric tons of annual production capacity in 2012. Additional contract details are confidential.

“This agreement with Lynas Corporation is an important step forward for our chemical and refinery catalysts business and our customers,” said Dr. Hans-Peter Neumann, Senior Vice President, BASF Process Catalysts and Technologies. “It will allow us to further diversify our Rare Earth supplier base while securing a substantial portion of our lanthanum requirements on a long-term basis."

About BASF’s Catalysts Division

BASF’s Catalysts division is the world’s leading supplier of environmental and process catalysts. The group offers exceptional expertise in the development of technologies that protect the air we breathe, produce the fuels that power our world and ensure efficient production of a wide variety of chemicals, plastics and other products. By leveraging our industry-leading R&D platforms, passion for innovation and deep knowledge of precious and base metals, BASF’s Catalysts division develops unique, proprietary catalyst and adsorbent solutions that drive customer success. Further information on BASF’s Catalysts division is available on the Internet at www.catalysts.basf.com.

BASF - The Chemical Company.

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and agricultural products to oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of about €63.9 billion in 2010 and had approximately 109,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com or in its Social Media Newsroom at newsroom.basf.com.

http://www.basf.com/group/corporate/en_GB/news-and-media-relations/news-releases/news-releases-usa/P-10-0076