The EU is softening its planned phase-out of combustion engines, sending important signals for automakers and platinum group metals markets. At the same time, the United States is advancing state-backed raw materials projects. Find out the details in our roundup.
EU Phase-Out of Combustion Engines Softened: Greater Flexibility for Automakers
As part of the automotive policy package presented on Tuesday, the EU is easing the planned ban on the sale of vehicles with internal combustion engines from 2035 onward. Beyond its implications for the automotive industry, the decision also sends an important market signal for platinum group metals, given that the automotive sector, particularly catalytic converters, represents the main end-use market for palladium and rhodium, for example.
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USA: New State-Backed Raw Materials Joint Venture
Korea Zinc plans to build a new smelting facility in Tennessee in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce. The plant is set to produce base metals such as zinc, lead, and copper, as well as gold and silver. It is also intended to extract strategically important raw materials, including antimony, indium, bismuth, tellurium, gallium, germanium, and others. The facility could begin operations as early as 2029.
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South Korea’s LS Cable & Systems Mulls Rare Earth Magnet Plant in the United States
South Korean industrial corporation LS Cable & Systems is considering building a rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing plant in the United States. The company announced on Monday that it has selected a new investment candidate site in Chesapeake, Virginia, and is currently reviewing the project and its feasibility.
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Politics Increasingly Shapes Raw Material Markets – Market Report Q4/2025
The almost dizzying momentum in the markets for critical raw materials continued into the final quarter of 2025. Political directives are increasingly shaping availability, trade flows, and pricing. In the markets for rare earths and technology metals, China remains the key pace-setter despite temporary relaxations of export restrictions. Meanwhile, precious metal markets surged from one record high to the next over the past three months.
In cooperation with the raw materials trader TRADIUM GmbH, we highlight key events of the past quarter and also take a closer look at the most significant developments over the course of the year.
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