A Gina Rinehart-backed rare earths miner will build its flagship project with help from the federal government to ease China's stranglehold on the sector.
Arafura Rare Earths has made the final investment decision to build its Nolans Project in the Northern Territory, which will be Australia's first fully integrated ore-to-oxide rare earths operation.
The decision came after years of building offtake relationships with companies, including Hyundai, Kia, Siemens, and as the miner became the first company to secure support under a federal government plan to build a rare earths strategic reserve.
China mines more than half the world's rare earths but refines as much as 90 per cent of global production.
Rare earths contain essential elements and alloys that are key to modern technologies with applications in defence and renewable energy.
