China slows down high-speed trains by 50 km/h
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- Category: Top News
- Published: Wednesday, 24 August 2011 14:36
The prices of most rare earths have risen by three to five times this year since China began consolidating the industry. |
Surging rare-earth prices will hinder the country's targets for energy conservation and emissions reduction as the increased cost of raw material has affected downstream producers, industry experts warned.
Zhang Anwen, deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Society of Rare Earths, said that the "quite elevated" rare-earth prices helped producers earn billions of dollars, but the country will face a challenge meeting its energy conservation target.
"If one fifth of the lamps in China are equipped with energy-efficient bulbs, the country can save at least 100 billion kilowatt-hours of energy each year, equivalent to the annual energy output of the Three Gorges hydroelectric dam," Zhang said. "But because of high raw-material costs, downstream companies such as producers of energy-efficient bulbs have cut or halted production, which will greatly affect the country's targets for energy conservation and emissions reduction."
Rare earth is comprised of 17 metals used in applications such as high-performance magnets, light-emitting diode (LED) phosphors, and in high-tech products such as iPads and electric cars.
The price of fluorescent powder, which includes the rare-earth elements lanthanum and cerium and applied in energy-efficient LED light bulbs, rose from 300 yuan ($46.96) a kg in January to 2,500 yuan a kg in June, according to data from the online non-ferrous metals information provider Shanghai Metals Market (SMM).
Tang Meixuan, general manager of Suzhou New Century Fluorescent Material Ltd, said since prices of rare earths skyrocketed, between 30 to 50 percent of LED bulb producers cut production to wait until the prices drop.
Battery producers for electrical cars using praseodymium, neodymium and lanthanum also felt the pain of rising costs.
Luo Tao, managing director of Hunan Corun New Energy Co Ltd, a battery producer for electrical vehicles, said if the prices of rare earths continue to increase, the battery industry will collapse and the country will face obstacles in developing electrical cars.
The country aims to have 1 million electrical cars by 2015.
The prices of most rare earths have risen by three to five times this year since China began consolidating the industry.
However, prices started easing in July. The price of rare-earth cerium oxide dropped by 20 percent after downstream companies reduced production.
A manager from Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Co, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the world's largest rare-earth producer, which controls 60 percent of the world's light rare-earth supply, has more than 10,000 tons of rare earth in stockpiles.
In earlier reports, Zhang Zhong, general manager of Baotou Steel Rare-Earth, said rare-earth prices will remain at high levels in the second half due to tight supply as the government kicks into action strict policies to encourage sustainable development of the overexploited industry.
He said that surging rare-earth prices will accelerate the reduction of low-value-added downstream companies and encourage high-tech development in the rare-earth industry.
From a long-term perspective, Zhang said these companies will either naturally fade away or move up the value chain.
A company executive from a rare-earth processing company in Ganzhou, who requested anonymity, said in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, half of the companies producing loudspeaker components, which use neodymium iron boron, have halted production.
"One third of downstream companies using neodymium iron boron have stopped production as the price of the rare earth skyrocketed," said Wei Chishan, an analyst with SMM.
China has been implementing strict measures on the valuable metals to protect them from being overexploited and undervalued.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said last week that the ministry will join forces with five other ministries and state agencies to strengthen efforts against the illegal mining and smelting of rare earths.
china daily 18th August
By
Matthew Galat
Join Us In Tantoushan!
Do you want to get away for a weekend? Want to eat some good western food with some good friends and have some fun… on the beach? Do you want to see an incredible sunrise over the ocean?
If you have not already, join Asia English and Cup o’ Joe as we travel to the remote island of Tantoushan in Shipu this Saturday and Sunday! There are still seats available!
EVENT DETAILS:
DATE: Saturday, August 27 @ 7:30am–Sunday, Aug. 28 @ 10:00 pm
LOCATION: We have a bus leaving from Laowaitan (in front of the old church, Saturday around 7:30 am) If you are coming from Shanghai, it would be best to arrive Friday night. If you want I can help you find accommodations!
Where: Tantoushan Island (3 hours south of Ningbo)
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (186057414)
COST: 350 RMB, covers food, travel, boat and island fees, insurance and entertainment.
Tent rental is available on the island. (70RMB will give you one tent with 2 sleeping bags and pads) (Hotel is also available: please inquire) For full details… please click http://asiaenglishonline.com/event/10
你想找个周末彻底放松么? 你想在海滩上和好朋友品尝西餐么?你想在海边看到壮丽的日出么?如果你还没有体验过这些,那么这个周六和周日我们邀请您与Asia English和Cup O’ Joe一道去石浦的檀头山岛来共同体验!现在我们还有部分空余的名额!
活动细则:
日期:周六,8月27日 7:30——周日 8月28日 22:00 出发地点: 我们会有大巴从老外滩出发(在老教堂前,周六早上7:30左右)
如果您从上海过来,我们建议最好周五晚上到这边,如果有需要我们可以帮您安排住宿。 目的地:檀头山岛 (宁波向南3小时路程)
联系人:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (186057414) 费用:人民币350元 包括食物、路费、租船和岛上的管理费用、保险和娱乐项目费用。
岛上提供帐篷租赁 (提供70元的帐篷,含2个睡袋和防潮垫)(同时提供宾馆房间:具体请咨询) 更多详细信息….请点击http://asiaenglishonline.com/event/10
This is an open air theater opened two years ago in Hecheng Neighborhood Community, Jiangdong District.