Handelsblatt newspaper reported the German government is working with companies to establish an agreement with Kazakhstan on rare-earth metals to curb China dominance in exporting the minerals.

The newspaper said citing unnamed industrial and government officials that negotiations have been going on for months and a raw materials committee within Germany’s BDI industry association began enlisting companies late last year.

Handelsblatt cited a BDI official as saying that the Kazakh government is eager to expand its exports to western countries beyond natural gas in return for technological know how. German companies might take direct stakes in rare-earth development projects abroad.

(Sourced from Handelsblatt)