What is the nature and strategic significance of Solvay's rare earths business, according to the news?

Solvay's rare earths unit includes a 78-year-old processing plant in La Rochelle, France — one of the only facilities outside China capable of separating all 17 rare earth elements and a former global benchmark for rare earth prices in the 1980s and 1990s. Though it accounts for only a small part of Solvay’s overall business (within the Speciality Chemicals division, which made up 15% of €4.3 billion in sales last year), it is considered a strategic asset due to its unique processing expertise and role in reducing Western reliance on Chinese rare earth supply.

Who is One Investment Management, and what is its connection to Solvay’s rare earths operations beyond the current talks?

One Investment Management (OneIM) is an alternative investment manager founded by former SoftBank Vision Fund CEO Rajeev Misra, managing $11.8 billion in assets across Abu Dhabi, London, New York, and Tokyo. Beyond the current partnership talks with Solvay, OneIM has invested in multiple rare earths companies that already have ties to Solvay — including $200 million in U.S. magnet producer Noveon Magnetics (which signed a supply deal with Solvay in November last year), an undisclosed investment in Vulcan Elements, and a $75 million cornerstone commitment to Viridis Mining, whose letter of intent with Solvay proposed supplying rare earths to Solvay’s La Rochelle plant.

Solvay in Talks with One Investment Management Over Rare Earths Partnership

Sep 8, 2026

Solvay confirmed discussions with One Investment Management for a strategic partnership involving its rare earths processing unit. The move supports efforts to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals essential to energy transition and electronics.

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