Rare earth procurement - Japan-US-Australia-India to cooperate in rebuilding procurement network

Recently Nihon Keizai Shimbun Electronic Edition reported the following:

レアアース調達、日米豪印が協力　調達網を再構築

【イブニングスクープ】

政治

2021年3月11日 18:00 [有料会員限定]

日本、米国、オーストラリア、インドの4カ国がレアアース（希土類）の確保で協力する。生産技術や開発資金を互いに融通し、国際ルールづくりでも連携する。高性能なモーターや蓄電池などに必須の素材だが、中国が生産量で6割の世界シェアを握り、安定供給に懸念がある。対中国の経済安全保障で結びつきを強める4カ国連合で対抗する。

レアアースは電気自動車（EV）用モーターに使うネオジムやジスプロシウムなど中国に供給を頼る物質が多い。風力発電を含め「脱炭素」に関わる様々な製品に不可欠な材料だ。戦闘機やミサイル防衛システムなど国防の分野でも使われる。

中国は土壌汚染などの環境負荷が大きい分離・精製工程をほぼ独占する。米国も自国産の鉱石を中国で精製し、輸入の8割を中国が占める。

2010年には中国が日本への輸出を事実上、止めた。一部の単価は約9倍になり市場も企業も影響を受けた。その後、日本はベトナムなどに調達先を広げ中国依存は09年の9割から6割に下がった。

ホンダは大同特殊鋼とハイブリッド車（HV）のモーター向け磁石でジスプロシウムを使わない製品、日本電産はレアアース不要のモーター技術を開発した。

バイデン米政権は2月24日、重要4品目でサプライチェーン（供給網）を見直す大統領令に署名した。半導体、高容量電池、医薬品とともに重要鉱物をあげ、100日以内で同盟国と協力して対策を打つ。

第1弾がレアアースでの日豪印との協力だ。4カ国首脳は12日、オンラインで協議し、供給網の分散の必要性を確認する。実務者級で具体策の協議を始める。海洋の安全保障に懸念も共有し、対中国での連携を前面に打ち出す。

柱の一つは精製技術の検討になる。レアアース鉱脈は放射性物質を含む場合が多く、精製時に放射性廃棄物が出る。4カ国で放射性廃棄物が出にくく低コストな精製法を探る。

採掘や精製に協調融資する案もある。米政府は豪州産鉱石を米国で処理する計画を支援し、日本も参画を検討している。中国以外の国の事業を資金面で後押しする。

国際エネルギー機関（IEA）で中国の輸出規制に歯止めをかけるルール作りも目指す。備蓄量を各国に報告させる規定を検討する。

米地質調査所（USGS）によると中国は最近まで生産量で9割前後のシェアがあったが、危機感を強めた米豪が増やしたため20年は58%になった。米国が16%、豪州が7%だ。インドは埋蔵量では6%のシェアがあり、日本は輸入量では世界3位になる。印中は国境付近の対立がくすぶり、4カ国で協力する機運が高まっていた。

三菱UFJリサーチ&コンサルティングの清水孝太郎上席主任研究員は「（EV用磁石の原料になる）テルビウムやジスプロシウムなどは中国以外からの調達が難しい」と話す。日米豪印だけで十分な供給網をつくれるわけではない。連携して中国の対応を変えることが重要になる。

Translation

Japan, the United States, Australia, and India would cooperate in securing rare earths. They would exchange production technology and development funds with each other, and cooperate in creating international rules. Rare earth was an essential material for high-performance motors and storage batteries; as China holds a 60% share of the world market in production, there were concerns about stable supply. To ensure economic security opposing China, this four-country coalition could strengthen their ties to compete with the former.

Many rare earths relied on China for supply, such as neodymium and dysprosium used in electric vehicle (EV) motors. It was an indispensable material for various products related to "decarbonization" including wind power generation. It was also used in the field of national defense such as fighter aircraft and missile defense systems.

China almost monopolized the separation and refining process, which had a large environmental load such as soil pollution. The United States also refined its own ore in China, and China accounted for 80% of its imports.

 In 2010, China virtually stopped exporting to Japan. Some unit prices had increased about nine times, affecting both markets and businesses. After that, Japan expanded its procurement sources to Vietnam and other countries, and its dependence on China dropped from 90% in 2009 to 60%.

Honda together with Daido Special Steel had developed magnet for motors of hybrid vehicles (HV) that did not use dysprosium, and Nidec had developed a technology that the motor did not require rare earths.

On February 24, the US Biden administration signed an executive order to review the supply chain for four important items. Naming semiconductors, high-capacity batteries, pharmaceuticals, along with important minerals, and formed a policy of taking measures on cooperation with allies within 100 days.

The first round was the Japan-Australia-India cooperation in rare earths. The leaders of the four countries would meet online on the 12th to confirm the need for decentralization of a supply network. Discussions started on concrete measures at the actual working level. They also shared concerns about maritime security and worked out a cooperation front in opposing China.

One of the pillars would be the examination of refining technology. Rare earth veins often contained radioactive substances and generated radioactive waste during refining. In these four countries, they would search for low-cost refining methods that prevent radioactive waste from coming out.

There was also a plan to have co-finance for mining and refining. The US government was supporting plans to process Australian ore in the United States, and Japan was considering participating. Financially they would boost these businesses in countries outside China.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) also aimed to create rules to put an end to China's export restrictions. It considered making provisions for reporting reserves to all countries.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), China had a share of around 90% in production until recently, US and Australia who were feeling more vulnerable had increased to 58%. The United States had 16% and Australia has 7% while India had a 6% share of reserve. Japan ranked third in the world in terms of imports. In India, as the conflict near the border with China was in a suppressed and concealed state, the momentum for cooperation among these four countries was increasing.

Kotaro Shimizu, a senior researcher at Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting said, "It is difficult to procure terbium and dysprosium (which are raw materials for EV magnets) from outside China." Japan, the United States, Australia and India alone could not create a sufficient supply network. It would be important to work together to change in response to China.

              So, it seems that this quad-alliance is working at the moment, despite the fact that individually they have their own agenda in joining the network. To develop magnet for motors of hybrid vehicles (HV) that may not use dysprosium, and to develop technologies that will not require rare earths are possible ways to deal with the situation.