Rare earths are known for"Industrial Vitamins", which plays an important role in modern industry. However, China has a strong presence when it comes to rare earths** and processing capacity. According to statistics, China accounted for 70% of the world's rare earth production in 2022 and is the world's largest rare earth producer, with an output of about 210,000 tons. This compares to only 4 in the United States and Australia30,000 tons and 180,000 tons. Even if you add up the world's top 20 countries' rare earth production, it is still inferior to China. However, the advantages of reserves and production alone do not make China a leader in the rare earth** market. What really makes China dominant in the rare earth sector is its strength in rare earth processing. China has strong technical strength in rare earth refining, sorting, purification and other links. In addition, China has also made important progress in the innovative research and application of rare earth materials. In the past, rare earths mined in the U.S. had to be shipped to China for processing before the finished product was shipped back to the U.S. At present, the United States has become China's largest importer of rare earths, and China's exports of rare earth permanent magnet materials to the United States have reached a total of 530,000 tons, rare earth smelting and separation products are as high as 490,000 tons, more than 100,000 tons, ranking first in the world. It is precisely because of China's dominance in the rare earth industry that some Western powers are trying to get rid of this shackle and build a rare earth ** chain without China's participation.
China's huge advantage in rare earths has unnerved some countries. Western countries are trying to break China's control over the rare earth field, seeking to build a rare earth ** chain without China's participation. However, Wall Street** has recently warned that breaking China's control of rare earths is an almost impossible task. They proved this with a practical example: for only $2, you can easily buy 30 powerful magnets made in China, an invincible and inexpensive product that no other country can match. In fact, even the massive rare earth mine on Highway 15 in Los Angeles lost out to a measly low $2 price. This shows that Wall Street reminds their people that it is not easy to get rid of China's dominance. After all, in addition to rare earth reserves, rare earth processing capacity and the entire industrial ecosystem are more important. Rare earths not only need to be excavated, but also need to be finely processed to play a role in actual industrial production, which constitutes a complete industrial chain.
On December 21, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Science and Technology released the "Catalogue of China's Prohibited Export Restricted Export Techniques", restricting the export of rare earth mining, beneficiation and smelting technologies, dealing a heavy blow to the United States. Rare earth permanent magnet materials are not obtained by simply mining. Although countries such as Vietnam also have large reserves of rare earths, they lack a complete production and processing chain, and establishing a complete processing process requires technical support and time investment. Rare earth magnets are often cited as an example, and only China has the strength to produce them on a large scale from start to finish. China far surpasses other countries in the level of rare earth processing and refining technology. Although China is now giving other countries a chance to catch up, the long-standing gap still makes it difficult for other countries to catch up.
Rare earths are figuratively called"Industrial vitamins"It has a special electronic layer structure and high temperature resistance, so it plays an important role in both military and civilian fields. Rare earths are widely used in electronics, magnetic materials, petrochemical industry, environmental protection, metallurgy and other fields, such as permanent magnet materials, energy storage equipment, sensors, lasers, LED lights, etc. At present, rare earth is developing rapidly in the fields of new energy vehicles, wind energy, solar energy, etc., and is one of the key materials. The wide application of rare earths in modern society has made rare earths an important strategic resource for national economic development.
By restricting the export of rare earths and strengthening the management of the rare earth industry, China is in order to protect and mobilize its own rare earth resources and promote the development of the domestic rare earth industry. **In the regulation of the rare earth industry, it is necessary not only to meet domestic demand, but also to rationally use resources and improve the level of environmental protection. This dynamic regulation and control will help optimize the structure of the rare earth industry, improve the comprehensive utilization rate of rare earths, and leave more space for future development.
In conclusion, the importance of rare earths to modern industry cannot be ignored, and China has a strong advantage in rare earth production and processing capacity. However, it is not only the advantages of reserves and production that can dominate the field of rare earths, but also the integrity of the rare earth processing capacity and the integrity of the industrial chain. Therefore, in order to get rid of China's control over rare earths, other countries need to vigorously develop rare earth processing technology and build a rare earth chain without China's participation. At the same time, China should also continue to strengthen the regulation and control of the rare earth industry, optimize the industrial structure, and improve the efficiency of resource utilization and environmental protection.