PriceSensitive

American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR) enjoys tailwinds ahead of La Paz drilling

Mining
ASX:ARR      MCAP $170.2M
15 October 2020 17:35 (AEST)

Source: American Rare Earths

American Rare Earths (ARR) is looking forward to the future — whatever shape it takes — as it moves towards commercialisation of its La Paz project in the U.S.

Drilling is set to commence at La Paz in late November, with six holes planned to go to twice the depth of historical drilling. It’ll be the first drilling at La Paz in over a decade.

The Tailwinds

ARR is in the unique position of most likely benefitting from the November U.S. election regardless of which candidate wins.

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order citing the critical nature of domestic rare earth supply chains to safeguard American national security.

The order states: “Undue reliance on critical minerals, in processed or unprocessed form, from foreign adversaries constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”

Such an order is likely to ease the way for the La Paz project when it comes to potential government subsidies, financing agreements and domestic offtake arrangements.

ARR also cites many other voices calling for security in America’s rare earths supply chain, namely the Pentagon, Senate Democrats, a Republican-sponsored Senate bill, a House of Representatives bill, and a bipartisan House of Representatives caucus.

Should Trump’s challenger Joe Biden win the election, ARR still stands to be in a good position both politically and economically.

Mr Biden’s US$3 trillion green energy infrastructure plan calls for an abundant supply of rare earths and scandium to facilitate the expansion of renewable technologies such as electric vehicles, off-shore wind farms and solid oxide fuel cells.

There’ll likely be subsidies and incentives for domestic rare earth producers to fuel the green energy renaissance.

The Outlook

Regardless of the outcome from November 3, it seems American Rare Earths is sitting pretty.

Trump’s focus on the defence industry supply chain and Biden’s plan for a carbon-reduced future both put ARR in the box seat to get La Paz off the ground and turn it into a key asset.

American Rare Earths closed Thursday’s session 35 per cent higher at 13.5 cents.

Related News