Post by Momentum Technologies

A five-point shift proves that progress is possible. An 85% share proves how much work remains.   The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 yesterday. The report finds that China’s share of magnet Rare Earth refining fell from 90% in 2024 to 85% in 2025. U.S. capacity captured most of that lost share and Malaysia added a fraction more.   That marks real progress. It shows that focused investment, policy support, and new capacity can start to shift the balance in a supply chain that has been dominated by one country for far too long.   But 85% is still a long way from balanced. When one country controls all but 15% of global refining, supply chains remain vulnerable. Better balance takes more than digging up more minerals. We also need the domestic plants that turn those minerals into the high-purity materials that manufacturers can actually use. Plus, we need technologies that do the job securely, efficiently, and at scale.   At Momentum Technologies, we use our proprietary MSX® to help solve that very challenge. Its modular design cuts the cost and complexity of adding new refining capacity. Facilities can scale up by adding processing units. Our teams can set up plants closer to feedstock and customers. All of this creates a faster, more flexible path to high-purity critical minerals without the wait for a mega-project.   There’s no question we can shift the balance. The real question is how quickly we can build the refining capacity to make that shift last.   What do you see as the biggest barrier to scaling domestic critical-minerals refining?   Source: International Energy Agency, Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026   #CriticalMinerals #RareEarths #MineralProcessing #SupplyChainResilience #MSX