LS Eco Energy Builds 240-Ton Samarium Metal Plant in Vietnam for Defense Magnet Supply

Highlights

• LS Eco Energy is investing KRW 11.6 billion to build a 240-metric-ton-per-year samarium metal facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, targeting trial production by December.
• Lynas Rare Earths will supply non-Chinese feedstock, with samarium metal flowing into LS Cable & System's samarium-cobalt magnet manufacturing chain.
• The plant targets a critical midstream gap in Western rare-earth supply chains ahead of DFARS restrictions on DoD-procured SmCo magnets effective January 1, 2027.
• 240 tons of samarium could support an estimated 700–1,000 tons of SmCo magnets annually, though feedstock specs, purity, and contracted demand still require validation.
• LS plans to expand the Vietnam platform into dysprosium, terbium, and NdPr metals, positioning it as a broader rare-earth metallization hub.