Exports of rare -earth metals from China are falling

According to China’s customs services published at Huansu Shibao, in 2012 this country reduced the export supplies of rare earth metals by 3.3% with respect to the previous year, to 16235 tons.

The drop in the export of rare -earth metals is explained by the illegal removal of minerals. The head of the Association of manufacturers of rare earth metals in China provided information about the smuggling export of these metals. In particular, he said that in 2012 illegal exports amounted to about 10,000 tons, and in 2011 it was almost one and a half times higher than the legal. More than 95% of rare earth metals are mined in China. This enables the country to occupy a leading position in the high -tech industry.

17 elements belong to the category of rare -earth metals. They are used for the production of electronics, radio electronics, computer technology, optics and another. But the main thing is that without these elements it is not possible to make high -intensive batteries. That is why the production of the iPad tablet, in which these elements are used in lithium-ion batteries, display and magnets for interacting with the cover, is much cheaper in China.

There is another opinion in industrial circles about the fall in the export of rare -earth metals. It is that China wants to dominate the field of high technology and, therefore, the export price is excessively high.