RE:RE:RE:RE:ORE ActSorry, a bit vague but directed at the form of sponsorship.
Misnomer magnets are "lucrative" but they are certainly strategic.
NdFeB price is largely controlled by cost of NdPr major input with a premium for grade/IP.
To be competitive with China a US manufacturer is going to need scale, quickly, which means the support of OEM's in the face of cheaper subsidised Chinese competittion.
Therefore not only does the NdPr supply need to be internationally competitive and the mag maker cutting edge but USG needs to set policy to neuter Chinese subsidies.
This could perhaps be done by giving the OEM's a tax deduction for US produced NdFeB but better applied as a tariff on Chinese magnets.
Tax deductions are NOT helpful thru the supply chain for a number of reasons, encourages low efficiency/price gouging, no one in the supply chain will be profitable in the critical early stages when support is required, what is required is CapEx support in a similar manner to the Japanese assistance to Lynas.
The Japanese have forced Lynas to be cost effective, become one of the lowest cost poducers, by insisting on Chinese prices with a small premium BUT they have subsidised Lynas cost of capital considerably to assist their survival.
This is very much a situation of mutual benefit, Lynas has outgrown the Japanese mkt, Japanese mag makers have outgrown the Japanese downstream mkt and run into Chinese subsidies outside it. Both need the scale of US manufacturing economy to expand ROW mag production, and the US needs Lynas REO & Japanese mag expertise to put together a sustainable supply chain on US soil.
Once that supply chain is established EVERY US resource, metal maker, mag maker that can put together a competitive product offering has every opportunity to break into the supply chain.
Little doubt the capital & innovation inherent in the US mkt & academia would be pumping out ideas & product in a few short years, incl advanced motors with US NdFeB.
US has messed around with this for a decade, China is moving to close the window next few years, to get this fast tracked US has no option but to leverage Lynas & Japanese expertise to get it started.