China Announces Quota 2013 on the production and export of rare earth metals

As the recently promulgated the Ministry of Land and Resources report, the People's Republic of China, in 2013 China will continue to apply restrictions on the production of rare and rare earth metals (including tungsten and antimony ores) at the level of 93.8 thousand. Tonnes. «The volume of ore production of heavy and medium-sized items in this category should remain at the level of 17.9 thousand tons, and the ores of light metals -. At the level of 75.9 thousand tons.» — Said in the documents attached to the report. The same restrictions were established by the government in the past two years. «These measures are taken in accordance with the» National Programme for the development of mineral resources for the period 2008−2015 gg. city ​​"in order to preserve the natural resources of the state, as well as for the protection of its environment" — commented on the extension of the quota representatives of the PRC authorities. As for quotas on foreign supplies of rare earth metals in 2013, the Chinese authorities decided to keep them at the level of 31.0 thousand. Tonnes. This compares (with a slight increase in the limit) to the previous year.

Ministry of Land and Natural Resources requires strictly observe the above-mentioned indicators and seeks to convey in time developed normative data to municipal and provincial departments and enterprises, as well as increased spending statistics, Inspection, and supervisory work within the framework of the program mentioned above.

Recall that the group of rare earth metals include seventeen chemical elements which, at present, are used in high-tech industry, as well as playing an important role in the production of innovative weapons. China accounts now account for about 90% of the supply of high-value raw materials, and its reserves on the territory of the country account for 23% of world reserves. Decisions of the PRC authorities to limit the external supply of these strategic resources displease governments depend on rare earth metals countries and producers from these countries. A number of complaints on this issue repeatedly done in the arbitration bodies of the World Trade Organization, but serious effective leverage on the monopoly in question supervising bodies yet.