Australia approves Arafura Rare Earths mine; federal deal to buy 500 tonnes/year

On 2026-05-21, the Australian federal government agreed to buy up to 500 tonnes of NdPr oxide per year from Arafura Rare Earths, using funds from its $1.2 billion Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. The deal helped clear the way for the Nolans rare earths mine in the Northern Territory to proceed.