Ok, so everyone who has read my posts knows I love rare earth metals.

So today when when three different sources speak about rare earth metals, I take this as a sign....a sign of what...I am never sure but I take notice

http://watch.bnn.ca/commodities/march-2010/commodities-march-18-2010/#clip277910

the above lip is about Avalon rare metals, at the end of this interview they discuss rare earth magnets.

then this interview an hour later on Neo Materials that manuafcturers rare earth magnets, it is the third company they speak about. they use neodymium for the magnets

http://watch.bnn.ca/market-call/march-2010/market-call-march-18-2010/#clip277979

then this appeared on the rare metal blog. US government now looking at shortage of rare earth metals and the impact on the economy

http://treo.typepad.com/raremetalblog

March 17, 2010, (Washington, DC) – Witnesses from both the public and private sectors warned Members of the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight that the lack of a domestic supply of rare earth minerals could severely affect the U.S.’s ability to manufacture advanced-technology products. A rare earth supply shortage would present a threat notably to the emerging clean energy industry but also to the telecommunications and defense sectors, according to testimony at a hearing on “Rare Earth Minerals and 21st Century Industry.”

“With a little of one of these elements you can get a smaller, more powerful magnet, or an aircraft engine that operates at higher temperatures or a fiber-optic cable that can carry your phone call much greater distances,” said Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC). “The United States, not so long ago, was the world leader in producing and exporting rare earths. Today, China is the world’s leader. If we intend to foster a home-grown capability to make the devices that provide wind energy, we need to rebuild America's capability to supply its own needs in rare earth materials.”

so what companies are mining neodymium?

http://www.glgroup.com/News/Braking-Wind--Wheres-the-Neodymium-Going-To-Come-from--35041.html

There is no significant neodymium production surplus.

Therefore the neodymium would have to be obtained from new production and such production would have to be over and above the total projected demand for 2014 already estimated at 38,000 metric tons, 50% greater than today's production and demand.

The only possible sources for this extra production would be:

1. Lynas Corp (Mt. Weld, Australia),
2. Arafura, Ltd (Nolan's Bore, Australia)
3. Molycorp (Mountain Pass, california)
4. Great Western Minerals Group, Ltd. (Hoidas Lake, saskatchewan, Canada),
5. Avalon Rare Metals (Thor Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada), or
6. Thorium Energy, inc. (Lemhi Pass, Idaho).

Kim