The
deal
comes
as
manufacturers
of
wind
turbines
using
direct-drive
permanent-magnet
generators
(PMGs)
scramble
to
lock-down
supplies
of
the
rare-earth
metal
neodymium
needed
for
the
machines.
Siemens
will
own
55%
of
the
joint
venture,
with
Lynas
holding
the
remainder.
All
other
details
of
the
agreement
are
“currently
being
developed”.
Lynas
owns
the
mining
rights
at
Western
Australia’s
Mount
Weld,
which
holds
one
of
the
world’s
richest
deposits
of
rare-earth
metals.
It
is
also
building
a
controversial
rare-earths
processing
plant
in
Malaysia,
which
will
be
the
world’s
largest
such
facility
and
the
first…
