Malaysia is assessing whether to allow limited exports of unprocessed rare earths as global demand for the critical minerals increases, Bloomberg News reported Monday, citing Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh.
The country imposed a moratorium on raw rare earth exports in 2024 to encourage more domestic processing and investment. In an interview with Bloomberg, Syed Ibrahim said any easing of the restrictions would be subject to conditions, including commitments to invest in Malaysia and transfer technology, while exports should be used for research and development purposes overseas.
He said Malaysia is under pressure from state governments and investors, with interest coming from the U.S., Australia, France and India, but did not provide a timeline for any regulatory changes. The minister added Malaysia aims to become a regional hub for critical minerals by 2030 by attracting investment across the entire rare earth value chain, Bloomberg said.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)