According to reports by Taiwanese media, Lynas Rare Earths, considered the world's largest rare-earth company excluding Chinese-owned companies, was found to have been in acquisition talks earlier this year, but the buyer remains unknown.
Australian local media and Taiwanese media have reported that major rare-earth producer Lynas Rare Earths was pursuing acquisition talks earlier this year. The transaction was reportedly subject to considerable uncertainty and did not progress in practice. The buyer's identity and the terms of the transaction have still not been disclosed.
John Humphrey, the company's chairman, disclosed at an earnings briefing this week that the selection of a new chief executive officer (CEO) had been temporarily suspended due to the acquisition talks. The suspension reportedly lasted approximately 4.5 months, prompting questions among some investors about the timing of disclosures of important information concerning management and control.
Former CEO Amanda Lacaze stepped down in June this year, and Pol Le Roux served as interim CEO. The company did not mention that the appointment of a permanent successor had been delayed because of the acquisition, explaining instead that "the selection process is still ongoing." Lynas operates a mine and processing facilities in Western Australia, as well as a rare-earth plant in Malaysia.
The article explained that an overseas company seeking to acquire Lynas would require approval from Australian regulators. It also reported that Lynas held merger talks with US-based MP Materials in 2024, but the talks were terminated due to differences over valuation. It is not currently known whether the counterparty in the latest talks was the same company.