Critical minerals activity eased ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Although next week’s celebrations will halt much of China’s industrial output, the quieter pre-holiday period still delivered several important developments.
Nickel Giant Ventures into New Territory: Indonesia Eyes Rare Earths
Indonesia is a global heavyweight in metal production, particularly in nickel and tin. The island nation is also a major producer of cobalt and now aims to expand into rare earths. The country’s mining authority expects that domestic processing of these minerals could generate nearly $7.5 billion in revenue by 2030.
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Metals Mining Drives Growth in U.S. Raw Materials Sector
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published its latest Mineral Commodity Summaries, highlighting continued growth in the U.S. raw materials sector in 2025, driven primarily by metals mining and higher commodity prices. Total nonfuel mineral production increased by about 6% year over year. Metal production value recorded the strongest growth, rising by 13%, while industrial minerals production showed more moderate expansion, increasing by around 2% compared with 2024.
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Taiwan Eyes U.S. Rare Earths to Fuel Domestic Processing Plans
Taiwan plans to dispatch officials to the United States to evaluate rare earth deposits, part of a broader strategy to secure critical minerals and strengthen its domestic supply chain, Economy Minister Kung Ming-hsin announced Wednesday. The trip comes after Taiwan announced plans earlier this month to build a pilot-scale rare earth production line within three years with the goal of supplying roughly half of the island nation’s industry’s demand.
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Finland Invests €65 Million in Europe’s Critical Minerals Independence
The Sokli mineral deposit in Finland’s Lapland region could help strengthen Europe’s critical minerals autonomy. The state-owned Finnish Minerals Group sees particularly strong potential in the phosphate reserves. In addition, the deposit contains other in-demand minerals such as rare earth elements, manganese, niobium, and copper. The Finnish government now plans to accelerate the project with a €65 million investment, and pilot production is expected to begin in the coming years.
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