On March 24th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources issued a notice on the issuance of total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2023: the total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2023 were 120000 tons and 115000 tons, respectively. From the indicator data, there was a slight increase in the light rare earth mining indicators, while the heavy rare earth indicators were slightly lowered. In terms of the growth rate of rare earth mines, the indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining in 2023 increased by 19.05% compared to 2022. Compared to the 20% increase in 2022, the growth rate narrowed slightly.
| Total Amount Control Index for 1st Batch of Rare Earth Mining, Smelting and Separation in 2023 | ||||
| NO. | Rare Earth Group | Rare Earth Oxide, Ton | Smelting and Separation (Oxide), Ton | |
| Rock Type Rare Earth Ore (Light Rare Earth) | Ionic Rare Earth Ore (mainly Medium and Heavy Rare Earth) | |||
| 1 | China Rare Earth Group | 28114 | 7434 | 33304 |
| 2 | China Northern Rare Earth Group | 80943 | 73403 | |
| 3 | Xiamen Tungsten Co., Ltd. | 1966 | 2256 | |
| 4 | Guangdong Rare Earth | 1543 | 6037 | |
| including China Nonferrous Metal | 2055 | |||
| Sub-total | 109057 | 10943 | 115000 | |
| Total | 120000 | 115000 | ||
The notice states that rare earth is a product that the state implements total production control management, and no unit or individual is allowed to produce without or beyond indicators. Each rare earth group should strictly abide by relevant laws and regulations on resource development, energy conservation, ecological environment, and safe production, organize production according to indicators, and continuously improve the technological process level, clean production level, and raw material conversion rate; It is strictly prohibited to purchase and process illegal rare earth mineral products, and it is not allowed to carry out the business of processing rare earth products on behalf of others (including entrusted processing); Comprehensive utilization enterprises shall not purchase and process rare earth mineral products (including enriched substances, imported mineral products, etc.); The utilization of overseas rare earth resources must strictly comply with the relevant import and export management regulations. With the issuance of new rare earth indicators, let’s recall the first batch of total amount control indicators for rare earth mining, smelting, and separation in recent years:
The total amount control plan for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2019 will be issued based on 50% of the 2018 target, which is 60000 tons and 57500 tons respectively.
The total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2020 are 66000 tons and 63500 tons, respectively.
The total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2021 are 84000 tons and 81000 tons, respectively.
The total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2022 are 100800 tons and 97200 tons, respectively.
The total control indicators for the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation in 2023 are 120000 tons and 115000 tons, respectively.
From the above data, it can be seen that the rare earth mining indicators have been continuously increasing in the past five years. The rare earth mining index in 2023 increased by 19200 tons compared to 2022, with a year-on-year increase of 19.05%. Compared to the 20% year-on-year growth in 2022, the growth rate narrowed slightly. It is far lower than the 27.3% year-on-year growth rate in 2021.
According to the classification of the first batch of rare earth mining indicators in 2023, the light rare earth mining indicators have increased, while the medium and heavy rare earth mining indicators have decreased. In 2023, the mining index for light rare earths is 109057 tons, and the mining index for medium and heavy rare earths is 10943 tons. In 2022, the mining index for light rare earths was 89310 tons, and the mining index for medium and heavy rare earths was 11490 tons. The light rare earth mining index in 2023 increased by 19747 tons, or 22.11%, compared to 2022. The mining index of medium and heavy rare earth in 2023 decreased by 547 tons, or 4.76%, compared to 2022. In recent years, rare earth mining and smelting indicators have increased year by year. In 2022, young rare earth mines increased by 27.3% year-on-year, while the indicators of medium and heavy rare earth mines remained unchanged. Adding to this year’s decrease in the medium and heavy rare earth mining indicators, China has not increased the medium and heavy rare earth mining indicators for at least five years. The medium and heavy rare earth indicators have not increased for many years, and this year they have been reduced. On the one hand, due to the use of pool leaching and heap leaching methods in the mining of ionic rare earth minerals, they will pose a significant threat to the ecological environment of the mining area; On the other hand, China’s medium and heavy rare earth resources are scarce, and the state has not granted incremental mining for the protection of important strategic resources.
Besides used in high end application markets like servo motor or EV, the rare earth is widely used in everyday life like magnetic fishing, office magnets, magnetic hooks, etc.
Post time: Mar-27-2023