BASF Signs Deal For Rare Earths

BASF has agreed to source, on a long-term basis, the rare-earth element lanthanum from a plant being built in Kuantan, Malaysia. BASF uses lanthanum in the production of refinery and other catalysts. In recent years, China, the largest producer of rare earths, has repeatedly tightened restrictions on export of the elements, leading to high prices. The Kuantan facility now under construction is owned by Australia’s Lynas. Protesters have criticized the plant’s environmental impact, but a BASF spokeswoman says Malaysian regulators and the International Atomic Energy Agency “are closely involved in ensuring the standards of this site.”