The Romanian authorities and the American company Critical Metals Corp have signed an agreement to build a rare-earth metals processing plant in the city of Brașov. The facility will be located here to process ore from Greenland, which will be sourced from the Tanbriz deposit.
Details of the agreement were outlined by Romanian Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan during a live interview on Antena 3 CNN. According to the minister, the project covers the entire economic chain – from resource extraction to processing and final use in Europe and the United States.
“The initiative covers the entire economic cycle, from resource extraction at the Tanbriz deposit in Greenland to processing and final industrial use in Europe and the United States”
– Bogdan Ivan
According to the minister, the new project will enable Romania to become a key player on the world stage of rare-earth metals. By mid-April, the government plans to define the financing terms for the plant’s construction and the list of metals that will be processed there.
The head of the energy department also noted that Romania is losing opportunities due to a lack of capacity for full processing of these materials. According to him, the country mines copper ore with a content of 3–5% and sends it to Turkey, where it is processed and returned with a purer component in the form of rare-earth oxides.
“Clearly, we are losing a lot. And by building a processing plant that will serve not only Romania, but also neighboring states, we will become global players,” Ivan said.
Critical Metals Corp emphasized that delivering this project will reduce Europe’s and the United States’ dependence on supplies from China. Joint financing and parity-based cooperation underscore the strategic nature of the deal.
“This partnership with a country that is a member of the EU and NATO will enable the first fully integrated rare-earth supply chain in the Western world – from extraction to the production of military and aerospace-grade magnets”
– Critical Metals Corp
According to estimates of the Tanbriz deposit reserves, the total volume is about 4.7 billion tonnes, of which more than 28 million tonnes consist of rare-earth element oxides.
Also in the context of these developments are statements about strategic advantages for the region: boosting security and more stable use of natural resources, helping to reduce dependence on suppliers from distant overseas markets.
Prospects of the deal
The joint project is expected to become one of the key elements of European and transatlantic rare-earth supply chains, and to underscore Romania’s role as a regional processing hub. Implementing the plan could create new jobs and strengthen the country’s industrial potential in this strategic sector.