Part 6/8:
Australia’s power predicament is tangible—in fact, a recent mapping of electricity prices worldwide highlights that Australia boasts some of the highest rates globally. The consequence of these exorbitant electricity costs renders it unattractive for industries requiring high power consumption. Comparatively, China's energy expenses remain a mere third of Australia’s, placing the latter at a competitive disadvantage.
The intersection of high labor costs, transport expenses, and energy prices further compounds Australia’s struggle to nurture a sustainable rare earth industry. Meanwhile, Linus is grappling with declining profit margins and sharply reduced prices for certain rare earth metals, notably neodymium and dysprosium.