Rare Earth Exchanges

Dustin Olsen

We're taking you to the heart of one of the most critical and underappreciated battles shaping our modern world: the rare earth element supply chain. Discover the high-stakes dynamics that are fueling international competition, from China’s commanding grip on processing, refining, and value-added production of rare earth elements to the industries and innovations that depend on these indispensable resources. Each week, we expose the geoscience, geopolitics, and economic forces behind the West's growing reliance on China—forces that are hidden in plain sight but impossible to ignore.

  1. 6d ago

    S2 E81: Malaysia Has 16 Million Tons of Rare Earths — 70% Is Off-Limits | Tricia Yeoh

    Malaysia is sitting on an estimated 16.1 million tons of rare earths, but roughly 70% of it lies inside permanent forest reserves — and the country's own fragmented governance may keep it from capitalizing on the rest. Dr. Tricia Yeoh, Director of the Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, joins Dustin Olsen and Daniel O'Connor to unpack her ISEAS paper, Ambition Without Alignment. She explains how land, licenses, and royalties sit with Malaysia's states while exports and security sit with the federal government — and why those two levels are increasingly pulling in different directions as foreign governments negotiate state by state. In this episode: Why an estimated 70% of Malaysia's rare earths sit inside protected forest reservesHow Malaysia's federal-state split divides control over land, royalties, and exportsThe three policy bottlenecks stalling the midstream and downstreamWhy the raw-rare-earth export ban both protects value and deters upstream explorersWhy the case for a dedicated national rare earth office keeps getting strongerWhy "pick the US or China" is the wrong question — and Malaysia's answer is "both" Guest: Dr. Tricia Yeoh, Director, Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement (AIPE), University of Nottingham Malaysia Rare Earth Exchanges is accelerating transparency in the rare earth and critical minerals supply chain. New episodes weekly. 🌐 https://rareearthexchanges.com🎧 Also on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts Disclaimer: Educational and informational content only. Nothing here is financial, investment, legal, or tax advice.

  2. Aug 6

    Select S2 E80: Why America Only Graduates 200 Mining Engineers a Year S2 E80: Why America Only Graduates 200 Mining Engineers a Year

    The conversation about America's rare earth ambitions usually centers on ore, mines, and processing capacity. Professor Aaron Noble — department head of Mining & Minerals Engineering at Virginia Tech — argues the real ceiling is people. Aaron joins Dustin and Daniel to explain why talent is the most overlooked link in the critical minerals supply chain, why tiny markets stall investment, and how a $10M Department of Energy project is mapping Appalachia's critical mineral endowment. In this episode: The "cake" analogy — why rare earths are the cinnamon and nutmeg of the materials economy, and the second layer nobody talks aboutThe negative feedback loop that stalls rare earth R&D: tiny markets get tiny investmentThe 200-vs-10,000 engineering gap and what it means over a 30-year horizonInside the $10M DOE "Expand Appalachia" critical-minerals mapping projectWhy the Aclara Resources demonstration plant on campus is really an investment in people Guest: Aaron Noble, Professor & Department Head, Mining & Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech Rare Earth Exchanges is accelerating transparency in the rare earth and critical minerals supply chain. New episodes weekly. 🌐 https://rareearthexchanges.com🎧 Also on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts Disclaimer: Educational and informational content only. Nothing here is financial, investment, legal, or tax advice.

  3. Jul 30

    S2 E79: The Bacteria Pulling Rare Earths From Catalytic Converters

    Less than 1% of the world's rare earths are recycled — and a Cornell spinout thinks engineered bacteria can change that. In this episode, Dustin Olsen talks with Alexa Schmitz, CEO and co-founder of REEgen, about using bioleaching to recover rare earth elements from catalytic-converter slag, the waste left behind after recyclers harvest platinum and palladium. Alexa explains how REEgen's biological leaching solution pulls up to 98% of the rare earths out of slag that's 3–3.5% rare earth by weight, why biomining already produces about 20% of the world's copper, and the tradeoff between maximum recovery and real-world economics. She also shares what it was like to be one of 12 founders invited to the White House after China restricted heavy rare earth exports — and why she believes a secure supply chain has to be international, not purely domestic. A microbiologist-turned-founder on turning industrial waste into a domestic rare earth supply.

  4. Jul 23

    S2 E78: China Embargoes Gallium. This Montana Mine Has 6x More. — Harvey Kaye, US Critical Materials

    When China restricts gallium exports, U.S. defense contractors can't rebuild the radar systems protecting thousands of miles of airspace. Harvey Kaye, Executive Chairman of US Critical Materials Corporation, explains why Sheep Creek in Montana changes that calculus. Independently validated as North America's richest rare earth deposit — 9% total rare earth elements, gallium at 300 ppm versus the 50 ppm the U.S. was importing from China — Sheep Creek is the company's crown jewel. But the bigger story is what US Critical Materials is building around it: a full chain from mine through processing through offtake, without sending a gram to China. Kaye explains the "rock to dock" strategy: a CRADA with Idaho National Labs, an electrochemical membrane reactor, and a full-scale processing plant going up on a U.S. Army base. He also covers the ore-agnostic integration play, AI-driven ore-to-process matching, and the timeline: 1,500 tons in 2026, commercial quantities in 2027, and an IPO targeted for fall 2026.

  5. Jul 16

    S2 E77: By 2027, Every Defense Magnet Must Prove It Didn't Come from China — Nobody Is Ready | Jacob Clayton, Sagint

    By January 1, 2027, every magnet, tantalum, and tungsten component in a U.S. defense system must be traced back to its mine — with proof it never touched China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. According to our guest, right now 0% of supply chains can meet that standard. Jacob Clayton is the CEO and co-founder of Sagint and a former Marine Corps reserve lieutenant colonel with 18 years of service, including security compliance programs across 22 U.S. embassies and consulates. In this episode, he explains how Sagint uses blockchain tokenization and zero knowledge proofs to replace paper-based compliance documents — which are easy to forge — with tamper-proof, real-time records that make critical mineral supply chains traceable, bankable, and insurable. We cover the DFAR 252.225-7052 deadline, the new NDAA mineral traceability provision, the ReElement partnership, and what "you can't fake physics" means for supply chain integrity. New episodes every Thursday.

  6. Jul 9

    S2 E76: Rethinking Rare Earth Separation — Chloe Tolbert, Idaho National Laboratory

    China's conventional rare earth separation process relies on solvent extraction — a technique requiring hundreds of passes, toxic organic solvents, and decades of know-how that China has spent generations perfecting. A team at Idaho National Laboratory has a different approach. Chloe Tolbert, a researcher at INL specializing in electrophoretic separations, joins hosts Dustin Olsen and Daniel O'Connor to explain how ligand-assisted electrophoresis separates all 14 lanthanides in a single 10-minute pass using nothing more exotic than citric acid and an electric field. No organic solvents required. They cover the scale-up pathway from nanogram to kilogram-per-day, INL's new 55,000 sq ft Critical Materials and Energy Systems Innovation Center, and why heavy rare earths like terbium and dysprosium are especially hard to separate — and why it matters for EV and wind turbine magnets. Chloe's closing message: "We can't keep focusing on incremental improvements to legacy technologies. It's all hands on deck."

  7. Jul 2

    S2 E75: America Doesn't Have to Buy Magnets From China Anymore | Niron Magnetics

    Ever wondered what the future of magnets looks like? It’s time to rethink everything we know about rare earth alternatives! Today, we dive into the groundbreaking work being done at Niron Magnetics, where iron nitride is changing the game. This isn’t just another material; it’s the first credible, scalable alternative to rare earth magnets in decades, addressing a critical supply chain risk for industries relying on these powerful tools. With the world shifting towards sustainable solutions, iron nitride presents an innovative way to produce high-performance magnets without the reliance on rare earth elements. Imagine the impact on everything from electric vehicles to renewable energy! As we explore this, it’s essential to recognize the dedication and innovation that has brought this material to life. Niron has honed its process for years, ensuring that it’s not just theoretical but ready for real-world applications. What does this mean for the future? It’s a significant step towards supply chain security and sustainability. #RareEarthAlternatives #IronNitride #MagneticsInnovation #SustainableTech #SupplyChainSecurity

  8. Jun 25

    S2 E74: How to Rebuild the Rare Earth Supply Chain: 5 Key Strategies from Larry Kennedy

    Ever wondered how the rare earth element supply chain is like the space race? 🚀 Here’s why it matters now! China currently dominates the rare earth supply chain, controlling 90% of refining and 95% of magnets. It’s crucial to realize that the standards they set are affecting industries worldwide. But don’t panic! We have the opportunity to create our own standards through collaboration. Just like the Apollo program united various sectors to achieve a common goal, we can bring our industries together to compete effectively. Let’s focus on establishing a quality culture that emphasizes reliable processes and ethical standards. The future of our technology depends on it! #RareEarthElements #QualityManagement #SupplyChain #Innovation #Standards

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Ratings & Reviews

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About

We're taking you to the heart of one of the most critical and underappreciated battles shaping our modern world: the rare earth element supply chain. Discover the high-stakes dynamics that are fueling international competition, from China’s commanding grip on processing, refining, and value-added production of rare earth elements to the industries and innovations that depend on these indispensable resources. Each week, we expose the geoscience, geopolitics, and economic forces behind the West's growing reliance on China—forces that are hidden in plain sight but impossible to ignore.

Information

  • Creator
    Dustin Olsen
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    81
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dustin Olsen
  • Show Website
    Rare Earth Exchanges

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