The recommendation was part of a report submitted Friday to Vale’s board, which has been weighing whether to renew Bartolomeo’s term as CEO or start a worldwide recruitment process.
Coal deposits are known to be a potential source of REEs, and work is underway in the US and elsewhere to separate and concentrate REEs during coal processing
The Australian Financial Review suggests the two companies may be in talks to merge, potentially forming the world's largest non-China producers of rare earths.