This week, the U.S. government announced its second major investment in a domestic rare earth company, USA Rare Earth. Meanwhile, the EU is seeking to bolster its supply chains and is finalizing a free trade agreement with India, which has been in the works for 20 years. Additionally, the bloc upgraded its relations with Vietnam, seeking to access the country’s high-tech and mining sectors.
USA Rare Earth: Government Confirms Billion-Dollar Investment
Over the weekend, unofficial news emerged that the U.S. government was preparing to take a stake in USA Rare Earth. Following MP Materials in summer 2025, this would mark the second federal investment in a domestic rare earths company. This was officially confirmed on Monday through a letter of intent between USA Rare Earth and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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India and the EU Reach Agreement on a Free Trade Deal
After nearly 20 years of negotiations, India and the European Union announced on Tuesday that they have reached an agreement on a free trade deal. The planned free trade area would encompass around two billion people. Through the agreement, the EU will gain access to India’s rapidly growing market, while the subcontinent is expected to benefit from increased investment and new sales opportunities. The deal also opens up long-term prospects for the raw materials sector.
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Vietnam and the EU Deepen Cooperation – Raw Materials Also in Focus
The European Union and Vietnam aim to further deepen their political and economic relations. In addition to semiconductor supply chains and energy, critical minerals are also a key focus. The Southeast Asian country already produces several raw materials classified by the EU as critical and plans to significantly expand the extraction of additional resources such as rare earths.
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Rethinking the Circular Economy: From Ore to Energy
What if a mine didn’t just supply raw materials, but also used those very resources to generate its own clean electricity, reducing CO₂ emissions in the process? This is exactly what is happening at Rio Tinto’s Kennecott site in Utah, USA. A new 25-megawatt solar power plant has recently come online. What makes it special is that the solar panels contain tellurium, a critical mineral recovered on-site as a byproduct of copper processing. The mineral is then processed in Canada into semiconductor material, which US solar leader First Solar uses to manufacture the modules that were subsequently installed back in Utah.
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