interesting developments in the sectorM&A activity + the Chinese putting production quotas on domestic supply to try and get prices up....(article pasted below) There May Be an M&A Battle Ahead for a Key Source of Rare Earths Lynas seen drawing higher bids after A$1.5 billion offer: CLSA China is limiting output, while the EV boom is stoking demand By David Stringer and James Thornhill (Bloomberg) -- The key rare earths producer outside China, Lynas Corp. could attract rival bids after Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd. made a A$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) takeover approach. Lynas has a mine in Australia and a troubled processing plant in Malaysia, and is regarded as a critical supplier of the materials used in cars to smartphones and missiles for customers in the U.S., Japan and Europe. The unsolicited move comes as China restricts domestic supply quotas to help support prices. Wesfarmers offered A$2.25 cash a share -- almost a 45 percent premium to Mondays close -- and said it has potential to invest in the targets mine and processing facility. Lynas, whose shares in Sydney have slumped in recent months on regulatory disputes with Malaysia and declining profits, halted trading and said it is assessing the proposal. It could attract a bid from anyone, because at A$1.5 billion its way too cheap, said Dylan Kelly, a Sydney-based analyst at CLSA Ltd. This probably ultimately lives with a trading company. CLSA, which has a target price of A$3.50 on the companys shares, sees Glencore Plc, Toyota Tsusho Co. and Sojitz Corp., already a marketing partner with Lynas, as among potential rival bidders. Glencore declined to comment, while a Sojitz spokesman said the company was examining the Lynas announcement and Toyota Tsusho couldnt immediately respond to request for comments. Kuantan, Malaysia-based Lynas has become vulnerable as its shares have fallen almost 40 percent since last May on the regulatory issues over its processing facility in the country and delays to some licensing renewals. Local authorities have demanded Lynas make changes to its handling and disposal of some waste products, including some very low-level radioactive material. The producer is continuing discussions with Malaysias government to resolve remaining issues, Lynas said last month. China accounts for more than 70 percent of the worlds mined rare earths and its dominance prompted the U.S. and others to lobby the World Trade Organization earlier this decade, hoping to pressure the nation to lift exports as prices spiked amid a global shortage. A new round of mine quotas announced this month is seeking to cut output, according to the China Rare Earth Industry Association. Australias Foreign Investment Review Board in 2009 blocked a bid by China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co. to gain control of Lynas, citing concerns over supply to end users outside of China. What Our Analysts Say China plans to further regulate and consolidate its rare earth industry by raising barriers to entry on producers and capping output Higher average unit prices for Chinas rare earth exports suggest the governments consolidation of the industry and implementation of production quota have restored pricing power -- Yi Zhu, Bloomberg Intelligence Aside from Lynas, the only other major source of rare earth elements outside China is the Mountain Pass mine in California, which resumed production last year after being mothballed in 2015. The operations material is a semi-processed product thats still sent for refining in China. This Rare-Earth Deal Is a Steal at a 45% Markup: David Fickling Global trade tensions have increased the need for a supply chain outside of China, while rare earths are seen as key to the growth of the electric vehicle market, Lynas said in a January presentation. Rare earth-based technologies are used to help cut the size and cost of vehicle batteries, the company said. Their exposure to the EV demand thematic is relatively under-appreciated, compared to other EV-related commodities like lithium, graphite or copper, CLSAs Kelly said by phone. A standard EV contains about five times the number of rare earth permanent magnets as in a combustion-engine vehicle, and theyre used in motors and sensors, according to Alkane Resources Ltd., a project developer. Wesfarmers said its offer is subject to due diligence investigations, regulatory approvals and agreements to ensure operating licenses in Malaysia will remain in force for a satisfactory period after any acquisition.