RE: Investment potential4 Sep 2025 14:32
Deborah - It is not that Saltend isn't happening, it is more a case that better alternatives have emerged. Stage 1 of Longonjo is financed and is in construction (https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/PRE/update-on-longonjo-finance-p9xa33114l7rssd.html). Pensana have MOUs in place for the entire output of Stage 1 and Stage 2 with Toyota Tsusho and ReElement Technologies.
Since engaging with ReElement Technologies, Trump started the trade war. He quickly learned that China had him in a stranglehold, specifically in relation to rare earths so he had to back off the tariffs he wanted to implement. As we stand today, the US can't buy rare earths from China for defence applications (i.e. they can't build jets, subs, ordnance, drones etc etc) and it has dawned on Trump that he needs to build a mine to magnet supply chain in the US, working with allied countries.
This is where ReELement come in. They are a US rare earth refining company who have patented tech and whose team are virtually all ex US Government officials. They are driving/brokering a deal with Pensana as the mine to supply NdPr to make magnets in the UK. If you look on ReElement's Linkedin feed you will see pics of their board alongside Pensana's CEO and COO at the White House.
In essence, why pursue a project in a country whose governement have no interest in building an industrial strategy when there is a far better option available? ReElement's tech/business model is better than Pensana would have built in Saltend and the US government are operating at warp speed to make this happen.
Having said all that Saltend may still be utilised in the future, to recycle magnets from offshore wind turbines.
For this and more up to date info you should join the TG group - go to the Pensana FB page for an invitation link.