Kruemmer Reveals Top U.S. Rare Earth Project and Calls Ukraine Rare Earths "Commercially Not Viable"

"Rare earth junior miners need to ask themselves, 'What is my market?'" emphasized Thomas Kruemmer of The Rare Earth Observer in an insightful interview with InvestorNews.com host Tracy Hughes. Kruemmer, considered by many industry peers as a leading rare earth expert, discussed critical regions of interest in the global rare earth sector. Addressing speculation about Ukraine's resources, he clarified that Ukrainian rare earths, predominantly apatite-based, contain typically less than 0.5% rare earth content and thus are "commercially not viable." Similarly, Russian resources present challenges, with major deposits like Tomtor being described by Kruemmer as "unworkable," due to geographical constraints that make year-round mining impossible.Turning to Greenland, Kruemmer cautioned that significant rare earth enthusiasm might be overstated. He noted Greenland's major eudialyte deposits are "probably not workable," while the widely discussed Kvanefjeld site is more accurately classified as "a uranium mine and less of a rare earth mine," casting doubt on its immediate commercial feasibility. Kruemmer advocated instead for increased attention toward Southeast Asia and Africa, regions he believes are "completely out of focus" yet promising. "Southeast Asia isn't even listed by the USGS, but it deserves exploration," he added, highlighting untapped potential overlooked by mainstream analysis. Kruemmer identified Rare Element Resources Ltd. (OTCQB: REEMF) and its Bear Lodge project in Wyoming as his "personal favorite," noting it is majority-owned by General Atomics, which brings credibility through its German-engineered extraction technology. However, Kruemmer concluded with a critical observation: junior rare earth miners often neglect market reality, fixating instead solely on magnet-related elements. He urged miners to clearly define their market presence before chasing hyped rare earth segments, stating explicitly, "If you talk about a rare earth dependency, you should first look at what this dependency is and what products this involves."