Problems again stall production from Santos' $6.8b Barossa LNG
Santos is battling blocked heat exchangers, failed subsea valves, and faulty safety doors 285km north of Darwin so it can reap the reward of high gas prices in Asia.
Rare earths are 17 heavy metal elements that are often commonly found but in trace quantities that are difficult to extract. They include scandium used in aluminium alloys and neodymium for high-performance magnets.
Extraction of the critical mineral found in the waste from making alumina from bauxite could curb China's 98 per cent share of global production.
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