Posted in | News | Rare Earth Elements

China Cracks Down on Illegal Mining of Rare Earths

By Joel ScanlonNov 22 2010

The Chinese have cracked down on illegal mining activities of rare earth elements (REE). The Ministry of Land and Resources began a cleanup campaign on a national level to sort out illegal mining of REEs. This had led to some panic that the supply of the REEs would get affected.

However Chinese officials have assured the global markets that the overall mining quota has not fallen. Jin Yuzhong from the mining administration at the ministry said that the campaign was aimed at protecting the environment and not at controlling the output of rare earth minerals.

He said that they wanted to control excessive mining above the given quotas in the five month old campaign. Jin Yuzhong was speaking on national radio when he said that for the last two years China’s overall quota for REE mining has not fallen. In fact it had increased output in a few places.

China exported 32,200 tonnes of rare earths in the first nine months of 2010, most of which went to Japan. It had set its 2010 export quotas lower than those set in 2009 which sent ripples of panic through buyer nations worldwide. China currently controls 97% of the REE market supply.

Written by

Joel Scanlon

Joel relocated to Australia in 1995 from the United Kingdom and spent five years working in the mining industry as an exploration geotechnician. His role involved utilizing GIS mapping and CAD software. Upon transitioning to the North Coast of NSW, Australia, Joel embarked on a career as a graphic designer at a well-known consultancy firm. Subsequently, he established a successful web services business catering to companies across the eastern seaboard of Australia. It was during this time that he conceived and launched News-Medical.Net. Joel has been an integral part of AZoNetwork since its inception in 2000. Joel possesses a keen interest in exploring the boundaries of technology, comprehending its potential impact on society, and actively engaging with AI-driven solutions and advancements.

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Scanlon, Joel. (2019, March 19). China Cracks Down on Illegal Mining of Rare Earths. AZoMining. Retrieved on November 24, 2024 from https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=1555.
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Scanlon, Joel. "China Cracks Down on Illegal Mining of Rare Earths". AZoMining. 24 November 2024. <https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=1555>.
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Scanlon, Joel. 2019. China Cracks Down on Illegal Mining of Rare Earths. AZoMining, viewed 24 November 2024, https://www.azomining.com/News.aspx?newsID=1555.