It’s the solely facility in Europe capable of course of gentle and heavy uncommon earth supplies at an industrial degree.
Solvay helps a strategic shift for Europe to start out producing everlasting magnets as a substitute of importing them from China, group CEO Philippe Kehren advised Reuters throughout a name, including that, in Europe, demand was anticipated to triple by 2035.
“The aim is to produce all of Europe with uncommon earth metals made in La Rochelle,” he stated.
Solvay confirmed discussions with Europe’s important automobile producers and turbine makers to safe help from the whole worth chain.
The corporate can be in superior discussions with the French authorities for help, Kehren stated, with out elaborating.
Below a brand new EU regulation which got here into power in Could, the bloc goals to safe its self sufficiency for important supplies which can be at present dominated by provides from China. It has set targets to mine 10% of its annual essential minerals wants, to recycle 25% and course of 40% domestically by the top of the last decade.
It has additionally stated that not more than 65% of uncommon earth provides ought to be offered by one nation. China is at present estimated to produce round 95% of the EU’s uncommon earth wants.
Kehren stated Solvay ought to profit from this drive.
The corporate stated it aimed to supply 30% of supplies for its La Rochelle plant regionally, by means of recycling of end-of-life uncommon earth metals from motors in Europe, as a substitute of sending them again to China.
The enterprise advantages from the prevailing La Rochelle manufacturing facility, whereas an identical ongoing mission within the US consists of the development of a brand new plant.
(By Leo Marchandon and Alban Kacher; Enhancing by Louise Heavens, Mark Potter and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)