BASF

BASF SE (ETR: BAS) is a German chemical conglomerate headquartered in Ludwigshafen am Rhein and one of the world’s largest chemical producers. Within the critical-minerals and rare-earth value chain, BASF is a leading maker of catalysts and a major recycler of strategic metals: its operations refine and reclaim platinum-group and rare-earth elements from spent automotive and chemical catalysts.

Founded in 1865, BASF operates across chemicals, materials, industrial solutions, surface technologies, nutrition and agricultural solutions. In 2023 it carved out its mobile-emissions catalysts and precious-metals business as Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS), sharpening its focus on circular-economy metal recovery for the energy transition.

In the rare-earth market, BASF is a consumer. Lanthanum is a key raw material for its fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) refinery catalysts, and in 2011 BASF Corporation signed a long-term lanthanum supply agreement with Lynas.