Dominican Republic targets rare earth exports by 2028

President Luis Abinader announced that the Dominican Republic projects its first exports of rare earth elements by 2028. Speaking at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, the president noted that the country has been researching these critical mineral deposits in collaboration with the United States since 2022.

Officials expect to determine the exact magnitude of the reserves by the end of this year. The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported that over 5,000 samples have been analyzed, with a goal to declare the first official reserves during the first half of 2027. Current estimates suggest approximately 100 million gross tons of material, which includes rare earths and bauxite.

A major challenge identified is the technological requirement for refining, a sector currently dominated by China. To address this, the government has created the state-owned Empresa Minera Dominicana (EMIDOM) to oversee the process. The administration aims to conduct a refinery technology test in 2027 to advance toward industrialization and reduce global dependency on concentrated supply chains.