china may import ree in 20 years time

The following article is from "Beijing Evening News", leading state owned newspaper of the nation's capital (translated by Google):

Recently, the Western media reports on China Rare Earth after another, saying China has strengthened control on exports of rare earth. So, how many of China Rare Earth? Other countries rely on China's rare earth really need it? How do we treat such a strategic resource?

　　China's future may have to import

　　Rare earth elements of industrial, "gold", have been widely used in the manufacture of steel, aluminum, magnesium alloy, titanium alloy on. Rare or electronic, laser, nuclear industry, superconductivity, and many other high-tech lubricants.

　　China's rare earth reserves account for 36% of the world's total reserves, called the rare earth resources, power, but that does not mean that other countries do not have earth, in July 2010, U.S. energy policy analyst Mark Huntover Reese submitted to the U.S. Congress " rare earth: the global supply chain, "the report revealed that China, the United States, Russia, Australia, the world's rare earth reserves accounted for 36%, 13%, 19% and 5.5%, China rare earth production accounts for 97% of world production, the other three countries output is zero.

　　As China in recent years a large number of mining rare earth, rare earth reserves in China in 1996 to 2009 dropped 37%, only 27 million tons. At current production rates, China's medium and heavy class only to maintain reserves of rare earth 15 to 20 years in the future may need to be imported. In the exploitation of rare earth, China also paid the cost of damage to the natural environment.

　　Rampant smuggling of rare earth

　　The title of one of the world production of rare earth did not bring the industry to the Chinese "hegemony" status, due to lack of uniform regulation of Chinese Rare Earth Enterprises, disorderly competition and the prevalence of smuggling, resulting in China alone is "the first rare earth power" status, but not master pricing. Between 1990 and 2005, although the Chinese Rare Earth exports increased nearly 10 times the average 1990 price was dropped to half.

　　The face of China "cabbage-like bargain" rare earth, countries have to stop mining. "Resource compete for the" In an interview with Zhang Jie, author of "Youth Reference" newspaper interview, said, in fact, rare earth is not the best way to exploitation of reserves, but China is not easy to implement. In the United States, rare earth mine are all individuals, not mining now, after only becoming more valuable, so many mines have closed the main rare earth ore is not mined. The case of China, the Chinese state-owned rare earth mine, the mining seat of local government to develop the local economy, create jobs, exploitation of mines have chosen to allow local people to make a living.

　　November 5, Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said the Chinese government for strengthening environmental protection considerations, does not meet the environmental requirements of some small-scale rectification and rare earth mines were closed, some small mines to shut down the natural result of China's rare earth decline, exports decreased.

　　Japan has said that 92% of Japan's current reliance on imports from China Rare Earth, United States, Britain, Germany, Korea and other rare earth importing countries should unite to exert diplomatic pressure. But the British "Financial Times" revealed that the total imports of Japan, only 1 / 3 for the production of the other as a strategic reserve, the industry has estimated that Japan has enough reserves of rare earth 40 to 50 years.

　　Is also very rampant smuggling of rare earth. Industry-recognized, about 2 million tons per year of rare earth flow overseas through illegal means. Central Party School,an internationalstrategist, said Bing, according to estimates, 2 million tons of earth about the actual export volume of smuggling, 1 / 3.

　　Rare Earth in China is very cunning smugglers, some of them by color, character name to declare a similar product, so it is difficult to judge the customs. Most of the little weak from the test port exit. Specifically, the fudge into the iron oxide red, marble, scouring powder, lime powder are, because these goods are not controlled, some do not customs duties, and even export tax rebates.

　　In addition, because the rare earth alloy is not in the export quota of rare earth extraction separation of rare earth alloy of rare earth in China is becoming another source of lost overseas. In particular, the heavy rare earth elements is unique, that gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium and yttrium and other elements of 9, many countries still empty, even the high cost of separation of the expense.

　　Rare Chinese government to acquire

　　So, how China should curb the outflow of Rare Earth disorder it? "Compete for resources," Zhang Jie think of a book, a complete ban on the export certainly not a good idea, because the rare earth elements are made of re-export of products to be tested on all export goods, it is difficult to do.

　　Zhang Jie believes that a more feasible way is the acquisition of the Chinese Government to earth. Earth itself is not toxic, there was no deterioration of the problem, very easy to store, maintain and increase after the government store, can also be used as "hard currency" to use. 20th century 30's, the U.S. has introduced silver bill, the United States as a big country store silver, silver all the way in case of devaluation, the acquisition by the U.S. Treasury Department to come forward, store silver. Therefore, the Chinese government can now follow suit, and take the rare-earth support for the RMB.