America cannot cope without magnets. America cannot do without neodymium (ND). America cannot cope without praseodym (PR). And America cannot do without dysprosium (dy).
Tesla alone needs about 2,000 tonnes of ND magnets for its model 3, Y, S and X-vehicles and DY to maintain the performance of the drive at high temperatures. General Motors requires nearly 1,500 tonnes of NDPR-based magnets for its Ultium EV engines that operate Hummer EV and Silverado.
Ford engine consumes approx. 1,200 tonnes of permanent magnets in the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E. Lockheed Martin requires about 800 tonnes of NDFEB magnets, fortified with DY, for the F-35 Lightning IIS actuators, stealth systems and missile guidance. RTX CORP (Raytheon) needs an additional 600 tonnes of dysprosium-enhanced magnets for precision-controlled ammunition, jet engines and ship-propelled plus ND and PR to target lasers.
Loe Shilman, 75 kilometers from Peshawar and northwest of Landi Kotal, have deposits of neodymium (ND) and praseodymium (PR). Pakistan’s salt area also contains ND, while the Balochistan and the Himalayas contain rich monazite and bastnasitreser, the primary global sources of rare earths.
Lower Swat, 10 kilometers southeast of Saidu (mingora), holds neodymium (ND) and praseodymium (PR). In Upper DIR contains the Kumrat-Patrak Gandigar corridor and in the lower DIR, Khazana-Timergara block, Ree-bearing pegmatites. Pakistan’s rare soil potential remains largely untapped, estimated at over 50,000 tonnes a year. In October, Pakistan sent his first ND-enriched samples to the United States and marked the beginning of a new mineral chapter.
Tesla, General Motors, Ford Motor, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon cannot work without neodymium, praseodym and dysprosium. Pakistan has them in Khadong Banda, Ashrai Valley, Buner, Mahak and Kalam.
What is missing is the bridge between the two – a refining park on the Arabian Sea. What is missing is Trump Magnet Park, where Pakistan’s neodymium, praseodymium and dysprosium meet Tesla, General Motors, Ford Motor, Lockheed and Raytheon.
Trump Magnet Park, to be placed within Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) -Kun 22 kilometers from Port Qasim-there, offers direct access to the national highway and M-9 highway. DSEZ, which spans 1,530 hectares, is designed for export -oriented production. DSEZ, as part of Sindh’s provincial program, provides a smoother path to a dead-adjusted compliance regime-Inclusive security audits, end-use control and IP/data protection measures. With a population in the metro area exceeding 30 million, access to borehole water and a 10-15 target large buffer for emergency lying, trucking and safety, DSEZ is custom-built for high confidence, industrial partnerships with high security.
Trump Magnet Park requires an estimated investment of $ 800 million to $ 1.5 billion. The park should clear a DOD SNIFF test: Pair a DLA insult with a DPA/IBAS cost sharing and finances the park through DFC debt supported by Exim-supported US equipment.
Possible collapse: Exim covers 40% of CAPEX; DFC delivers 40% in senior debt; and sponsors plus DPA/IBAS contributes with the remaining 20% such as equity or cost share. Pakistan must lock as security security from DLA and secure build money from DOD Investment Programs (DPA section III / IBAS).
Pakistan holds the ore. America has the need. If Pakistan builds Park and America Anchor’s demand, both win. Dhabeji to Detroit – a new supply chain. Yes, magnets could define the next Great US-Pakistan Alliance.
The author is a spalist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh and can be reached at: [email protected]
Originally published in the news
