Germany, Kazakhstan Forging Rare-Earth Pact, Handelsblatt Says

January 31, 2011 (Source: Bloomberg) -- The German government is working with companies to establish an agreement with Kazakhstan on rare-earth metals to curb China’s dominance in exporting the minerals, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported.

Negotiations have been going on for months and a raw- materials committee within Germany’s BDI industry association began enlisting companies late last year, the newspaper said, citing unnamed industrial and government officials.

The Kazakh government is eager to expand its exports to western countries beyond natural gas in return for technological know-how, the newspaper said. German companies might take direct stakes in rare-earth development projects abroad, Handelsblatt cited a BDI official as saying.