I wonder how many are aware that the original developers of rare earth processing and separation: Solvay, La Rochelle France, are apparently gearing up again.
Here’s an extract from my enquiry to Grok 3:
‘….Current Status
As of April 9, 2025, Solvay has launched a significant expansion of its rare earth processing capabilities at La Rochelle. On April 8, 2025, the company inaugurated a new production line dedicated to separating and refining REEs, with an initial focus on neodymium and praseodymium—key elements for super-strong magnets. This move positions La Rochelle as the largest facility outside China capable of separating all rare earth materials, a claim underscored by CEO Philippe Kehren. The plant has begun commercial production at a modest scale, starting with a few hundred tonnes of rare earth oxides annually, aimed at testing output with customers like automakers and wind turbine manufacturers.
Solvay’s long-term goal is ambitious: to supply 30% of Europe’s processed rare earth demand for magnets by 2030. However, this target hinges on customer demand and further investment, estimated at over €100 million for full-scale expansion. The company has already invested several million euros to kickstart the project, with plans to scale production to 2,000–5,000 metric tons annually depending on market response. Unlike some competitors, Solvay is not venturing into mining or magnet manufacturing but is focusing on separation and recycling, sourcing feedstock initially from recycled magnets and potentially from future European deposits like Sweden’s Kiruna discovery.……’
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