China Announces Upper Limit for Rare Earth Exploitation in 2011

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The upper limit for the exploitation of rare earth elements in China will be 93,800 metric tons in 2011, including 80,400 metric tons of light rare earth elements and 13,400 metric tons of intermediate and heavy rare earth elements, according to the Notices on Application of Gross Output Control for Tungsten, Antimony Mine and Rare Earth Mining (the Notices) in 2011, published by the Ministry of Land Resources recently.

According to the Notices, the overall exploitation volume for tungsten concentrate ores (based on 65% of tungsten trioxide in content) will be limited to 87,000 metric tons, and the overall exploitation volume for stibium ores (based on metal stibium content) will be controlled within 105,000 metric tons in 2011.

These limits are slightly higher than the volumes specified for 2010. According to the 2010 Notices on Application of Gross Output Control for Tungsten, Antimony Mine and Rare Earth Mining, published by the Ministry of Land Resources, the limit for overall exploitation volume of tungsten concentrate ores (based on 65% of tungsten trioxide in content) was 80,000 metric tons, and the limit for rare earth elements exploitation was 89,200 metric tons, including 77,000 metric tons of light rare earth elements and 12,200 metric tons of intermediate and heavy rare earth elements.

Compared with the limits in 2010, the upper limit for rare earth exploitation was increased by 4,600 metric tons, an increase of 5.15%. The upper limit for tungsten concentrate ores was increased 7,000 metric tons, an increase of 8.75% year over year.

As specified in the Notices, prior to June 30, 2012, application for registration of new tungsten mines, stibium mines and rare earth mines will be maintained on suspension. It's also specified in the Notices that the land resources administration department for each province (autonomous region and city directly under the State Council) will control the limits on each mining enterprise and assign dedicated staff to supervise the implementing of those limits.

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