Mr Lacaze said Mrs Rinehart was welcome on the Lynas register after pushing her stake to 5.82 per cent this month, hot on the heels of emerging as a big shareholder in New York-listed MP Materials.Lynas and MP Materials held merger talks earlier this year that came amid consolidation among state-owned rare earth producers in China, which has threatened to cut off supply to the Western world during flash points in its relationship with the US.
“We have talked about the value of having a Western rare earths champion with real critical mass,” she said. Ms Lacaze refused to comment on whether US defence chiefs and government leaders had encouraged a merger.in mid-April, and has a 5.3 per cent in MP as well as positions in other rare earths stocks.The big step up in her Lynas holding fuelled speculation Australia’s richest person may emerge as a kingmaker in any mega-merger.
“I think that Mrs Rinehart does an awful lot of good. The mining industry basically pays Australia’s way, so having people who really are committed to the industry, committed to developing the industry, is really important.”