Agency to visit US and assess rare earthsSEEKING SOURCES: The visit would assess mine conditions, ore veins and grade levels, and the findings would help determine whether they meet Taiwan’s industrial needsBy Meryl Kao / Staff reporterThe Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Geological Survey and Mining Management Agency plans to visit Texas, Wyoming and California in the second half of this year to assess sources of rare earths, as Taiwan seeks supply sources other than China. Wheel loaders fill trucks with ore at the MP Materials rare earths mine in Mountain Pass, California, on Jan. 30, 2020. US production consists mainly of light rare earths, whereas Taiwan’s industrial demand is more aligned with heavy rare earths, Hsu said. Light rare earths typically have higher concentrations in ore deposits — about 2 percent to more than 10 percent — while concentrations in heavy rare earths can be as low as 0.1 percent or even 0.01 percent, he said. Taiwan would be seeking potential multilateral collaboration with the US, Japan and Australia for supplies of rare earths, he said.

Source: Taipei Times February 12, 2026 16:52 UTC