The German group will be supplied under a 10-year deal from Molycorp’s facility in Mountain Pass, California.
Like other wind OEMs that produce direct-drive turbines, Siemens relies on supplies of rare-earth metals needed for permanent-magnet generators.
Supplies of the materials are dominated by China, which for many years kept a tight rein on their availability via export quotas, and had the power to send foreign users into a panic over availability and pricing.
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