U.S. media recently quoted an Illinois an authoritative report of rare earth research, claiming that China's rare earth "monopoly" is about a fundamental change in 2 years, 6 years but will be severely weakened. The reason is, as the United States, California, Australia and India other places have launched a new rare-earth projects, by 2013, China's share of total world supply of rare earth from the current 96% to 77%, while the 2017 will further fall 43%.
Similarly in an earlier time, Japanese scientists claim to international waters in the Pacific found a huge rare earth minerals, estimated total reserves of 80 billion -1000 tons, and can "easily" be mine, if this is true, then the earth will no longer be a real name I'm afraid, because according to the U.S. Geological Survey had the authority of the survey data, the world's proven reserves of rare earth only 1.1 million tons, mainly buried in China, Russia, Central Asia and the United States; suddenly, the world's rare earth reserves turned 1000 times, their prices will inevitably plummet!
Anyone who can look glance, the United States and Japan this is the "ulterior intention of covering up", the purpose is "not a fight of the soldiers" to induce China quickly canceled on rare earth mining and export restrictions. Unfortunately, China has many bright and clear manner: First, China has no intention of rare earth supply monopoly, would like to see other countries develop their own rare earth resources; second, rare earth mining and refining of enormous environmental damage, China's restrictions on excessive extraction of rare earth full compliance with environmental science and sustainable development strategy.
1990 to 2007, the Chinese Rare Earth exports increased by nearly 10 times as the wanton exploitation of earth resources and the low sales, China's rare earth reserves declined sharply. Pessimistic estimates, these reserves will be sufficient only China and the world consumption of 15 -20 years and the formation of rare earth export volume climbing contrast,China Rare Earth continue to depress export prices was a long time, rare earth pricing control in Japan, the United States, Europe and other importing countries in the hands; as the world's largest exporter of China, due to Chinese local governments, enterprises and other vicious competition and smuggled factors resulting in loss of voice on the pricing.
More seriously, China's rare earth resources in the form of the current export mostly raw materials, the proportion of low value-added primary products accounted for 75%, while the single high-purity rare earth oxides, high alloy high value-added products accounted for only about 25% of China's rare earth industry is not only low profit margins, and the mining and processing of environmental pollution in most parts of the southern provinces, still use the pool leaching extraction, resulting in substantial waste of resources, soil erosion and environmental pollution in order to refine this process to obtain the rare earth All sales revenue, or even insufficient to cover the future costs of environmental and ecological management, while Japan, Europe and other developed economies have a rare earth processing of advanced technology, they are often low-cost imports from China and the reserve of rare earth materials madness, and then to more than 20 times the price of processed products sold back to China to reap huge profits.
China's current exports of rare earth to strengthen management, an important motivation is that the extensive export from the past into a more sophisticated model of the export mode. Specific idea is that by limiting the price of rare earth raw materials exports, attract foreign investment in China rare earth processing enterprises, transfer of advanced technology, and then higher value-added exports of rare earth products in high-end. Obviously, this way of sustainable product development resources, with China's current restructuring and vigorously promote the growth mode transition is the same strain.
In fact, the introduction of export tariffs on resource-based products (or China resource tax), or the introduction of quota management, is the international practice. The goal,The first is to maximize the interests of China; and secondly to protect the rational development of China's resources, to avoid the exploit; Finally, this is the exploitation of resources and products for the environmental damage caused by preparations for relief funds.
Indeed, in recent years with rapid technological exploration, global new rare-earth deposits have been discovered, for example, Mt Weld in Australia, Vietnam, Mao plugs, etc. However, these new deposits or quality in terms of reserves can not shake China's absolute dominance in the future for a long period of time, Western countries heavily dependent on imports of Chinese rare earth is difficult to change. with intent to blackmail alarmist, it would recognize the reality of low-cost capture of rare earth resources, the days are long gone. rare earth products with China to strengthen cooperation and exchange of technical finish, and to participate in the development of rare earth and repair damaged due to the natural environment to work, not necessarily a win-win outcome.
This chaptersource:China Trade Information (http://en.zgxu.com),In this paper.