REE Shortage Made Worse by Smuggling

Source: OilPrice, Chris Rhodes (12/2/10)

"As much as 20,000 tons of REEs were smuggled out of China."

China controls some 97% of the world's supply of REEs and, in 2012, Chinese domestic consumption of REEs is forecast to match domestic production. This year will see a peak in availability and a demand/supply gap emerging on the world markets.

REEs are not lacking in the earth's crust; for example, cerium ranks as the 25th most abundant element at 68 parts per million, in fact similar to copper. There are, however, few economically concentrated ores of the metals and their very similar chemical properties make the separation and isolation of individual REEs in pure form difficult and expensive.

While China attempts to secure its dominance of the world markets for these metals, the scarcity of REEs is compounded by smuggling. As much as 20,000 tons or one-third of total exports of REEs were smuggled out of China, which both reduces the price of the metals and ensures the more voracious depletion of the resource.

In my previous article, I wrote about the British focus on wind-power to meet its renewable energy targets for the European Union, by 2020. I commented that the rate of progress in building the required more than 4,000 new wind turbines had been rather slow to date, and now it appears debatable that there will be sufficient neodymium with which to fabricate the magnets for them, even if the manufacturing could be sped up.

Novavax Shares Shoot 65% Higher on Phase 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Trial's 89.3% Effectiveness
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/29/2021)

Novavax Inc. shares established a new 52-week high after the firm's COVID-19 vaccine demonstrated an 89.3% efficacy rate in a Phase 3 trial in the U.K. and also showed efficacy against the South African variant in a Phase 2b trial.

Abiomed Shares Gain 8% After Firm Announces Record Q3 Revenue of $232 Million
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/28/2021)

Shares of cardiac medical device maker Abiomed Inc. traded higher after the company reported record revenue for Q3/21 despite the impact from COVID-19.

Sorrento Shares Rise 35% After Firm Posts Positive Data from Phase 1b ICU COVID-19 Trial
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/27/2021)

Shares of Sorrento Therapeutics traded higher after the company released positive preliminary results from it of Phase 1b COVI-MSC™ Study for treatment of hospitalized ICU COVID-19 patients.

Junior Mining Sector 'the Best Value in the Space'
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/27/2021)

The StreetSmart Live! Broadcast on Jan. 26, 2021, focused on metals and why now is a good time for investors to be looking at them and the mining space. John Newell, independent analyst and portfolio manager, and John Feneck, mining sector expert and president of Feneck Consulting, addressed the status of the current metals market. CEOs of the three metals-focused companies comprising the Metallic Group of Companies—Group Ten Metals, Metallic Minerals and Granite Creek Copper—discussed their projects.

Vir Shares Climb 48% on Initial Phase 1 Chronic Hepatitis B Trial Data
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/26/2021)

Vir Biotechnology shares traded higher after the company reported data from its Phase 1 Chronic Hepatitis B Study that showed VIR-3434 significantly and rapidly reduced hepatitis B surface antigen.

Aurinia Pharma Shares Open at 52-Week High as FDA Approves Adult Lupus Nephritis Drug
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/25/2021)

Shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals traded 30% higher after the company reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its LUPKYNIS™ (voclosporin) for use in treating adults with active lupus nephritis.

AzurRx Doses First Two People in Expanded Phase 2b Trial of Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/22/2021)

AzurRx BioPharma shares traded 45% higher after the firm advised it had dosed the first two patients in its Phase 2b OPTION 2 Extension Study of MS1819 for treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis.

NGL Energy Shares Rise 21% as It Seeks to Raise $2.05 Billion from Senior Secured Note Offering
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/21/2021)

Shares of NGL Energy Partners LP traded higher after the firm made a series of announcements over the past three days regarding an update on financial operations, a settlement with a customer in bankruptcy, a quarterly Class D unit distribution and a $2.05 billion senior secured debt offering.

Explorer Discovers New Gold Mineralization at Abitibi Gold Belt Property
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/21/2021)

iMetal Resources is setting out to see if the multi-million ounce gold resource next door continues onto its Gowganda West property in Ontario.

Gritstone Oncology Licenses LNP Platform from Genevant Sciences to Develop COVID-19 Vaccine
Source: Streetwise Reports (01/20/2021)

Shares of Gritstone Oncology reached a new 52-week high price after the company advised it entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Genevant Sciences to develop and commercialize self-amplifying RNA vaccines for use against SARS-CoV-2.