Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
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Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
There have been no material changes in our market risk exposures from the information presented in Part II, Item 7A. “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, except as disclosed below.
Commodity Price Risk
Our results of operations have historically depended in large part upon the market prices of REO and particularly the price of rare earth concentrate and NdPr. Rare earth concentrate is not quoted on any major commodities market or exchange as product attributes vary and demand is currently constrained to a relatively limited number of refiners, a significant majority of which are based in China. NdPr pricing is primarily based off of indices in China.
NdPr represents a significant portion of the economic value of our rare earth concentrate. We expect demand for NdPr to continue to grow, driving demand for our separated NdPr oxide and metal, and in the future, permanent magnets containing NdPr. However, actual demand and pricing may fluctuate for numerous reasons beyond our control, including, among other things, supply of NdPr from other producers, discoveries of new mineral properties, technological changes that lead to diminished reliance on NdPr and/or permanent magnets, and shifts in underlying end-user demand for products or components manufactured with NdPr.
The Company’s arrangements with the DoW will significantly mitigate the risks of commodity price fluctuations associated with NdPr on our results of operations. Among the transactions with the DoW, the Company entered the Price Protection Agreement, which provides a price floor of $110 per KG for NdPr products stockpiled, sold to internal affiliates, or sold to third parties. If market prices fall below this threshold, the Company will receive a quarterly payment from the DoW to offset the shortfall. Conversely, once the 10X Facility reaches full production capacity, if the price of NdPr exceeds the threshold, the Company will remit a portion of the upside to the DoW, equal to 30% of the NdPr sales price in excess of $110 per KG. This arrangement allows the Company to produce NdPr at a more stable price, with limited exposure to price declines while retaining upside exposure. This moderates the Company’s exposure to the fluctuations in the NdPr commodity market which the Company has experienced in recent years.
Additionally, the DoW agreed to purchase the entire quantity of magnets produced at the 10X Facility, which, upon completion, we expect will utilize as an input a substantial portion of the NdPr we produce. While this DoW commitment provides a meaningful measure of certainty with respect to our medium- and longer-term NdPr-related cash flows, our business remains susceptible to the fluctuations and uncertainties described above, particularly with respect to the volume of demand for our NdPr products prior to the completion of the 10X Facility when the DoW offtake commitment begins. Thereafter, our business will still remain susceptible to demand fluctuations for amounts other than those used in committed arrangements in
our Magnetics segment (including both Independence and the 10X Facility). Additionally, we continue to produce other rare earth products, which is required by the DoW Transaction Agreements to include samarium, which will remain and be subject to market pricing.
The solvent extraction and finishing processes are highly reliant upon commodity reagents. These reagents, as well as certain other raw materials and supplies we use in our operations, are subject to price volatility caused by weather, supply conditions, political and economic variables and other unpredictable factors. We have not historically used options or swap contracts to manage the volatility related to the above exposures. When possible, we seek to limit our exposure by entering into long-term contracts and price increase limitations in contracts. Also, we use natural gas to operate our CHP plant, which powers our processing and separations facilities at Mountain Pass, and to power backup generators at the Independence Facility. We generally purchase or expect to purchase natural gas from suppliers at market or tariff rates. From time to time, we use commodity contracts to hedge energy exposures. Such commodity price fluctuations may cause volatility in our results of operations and cash flows in the future.
Foreign Currency Risk
While we currently generate revenue in the United States and in U.S. dollars, the market transactions are denominated mainly in the Chinese Yuan, and we are therefore exposed to currency volatility and devaluation risks. For example, we have historically negotiated quarterly U.S. dollar prices with our customers, which were based in part on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Chinese Yuan. This exchange rate has been impacted by geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China, which has and may lead to increased tariffs in the future, preferences for local producers, some of which may be government-supported, changes in taxing regimes or other trade barriers. Foreign currency risk has not historically had a material impact on our results of operations or cash flows.
Our partnership with the DoW, including with respect to the Price Protection Agreement for our NdPr products and purchase commitment of 10X Facility-produced magnets, should help to further mitigate our exposure to this volatility and risk over time, assuring us of substantial cash flows in U.S. dollars. We are in the process of evaluating the continuing need for the negotiation of Yuan-specific protections given this and other recent developments in our business and the market broadly. However, our non-NdPr rare earth products, including samarium, as well as inputs used throughout our processes, remain exposed to market transactions denominated primarily in Chinese Yuan, as may the price of NdPr-based magnets and magnet products produced at our Independence Facility. Additionally, as we expand internationally, we become further exposed to foreign currency risk by entering new markets with additional foreign currencies. The economic impact of currency exchange rate movements is often linked to variability in real growth, inflation, interest rates, governmental actions and other factors. Accordingly, to the extent that foreign currency risk becomes material, we may enter into hedging transactions to manage our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.
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