That is not what they say. Mining for these minerals makes for a bad environment and the Chinese are increasingly environmentaly concious.
If they reduce environmental damage by reducing mining permits etc. one should expect they retain a greater percentage of production and restrict exports. They would naturally restrict exports to countries that are not being co-operative on a number of issues.
S.

ok. ABC. keep on deluding yourself into believing that the chinese are environmental defenders.

“China will continue to export rare earth to the world, and at the same time, in order to conserve exhaustible resources and maintain sustainable development, China will also continue imposing relevant restrictions on the mining, manufacture and export of rare earths.”
S.

i do not see any mention of the environment in that statement.

'sustainable development'
S.

ABC, once again you do not understand or you are blinded by your rosey (or should I see green?) glasses.

This is what is happening in China as we speak. The Chinese are worried about their economy running wild. The way they are controlling the economy (ie keeping a lid on it) is by enforcing laws that have been on the books for more than 10 years. They do this by closing or imposing production cuts using the environmental laws. In some cases, they even cut the power if the factory refuses.

Once the economy cools down, then they will go back to their old ways. Do not be conned into thinking they are doing because they care.

As far as rare earth minerals go, who knows. My guess is since they control the most of the production, they want the price to go up. So how would they do that? Slow down or even threaten to stop exporting.

I guess China wised up

China pledges not to use rare earth minerals as weapon

Oxides of rare earth metals Rare earth metals come from China - they are vital for production of a range of electronic items

China has said it will not use exports of so-called rare earth minerals as a diplomatic bargaining tool.

The country produces more than 90% of these valuable commodities, which are used to produce electronic items such as mobile phones.

A row has blown up surrounding their availability, with relations between China and Japan at its centre.



The US and the EU asked Beijing to clarify its policy on mineral exports after China stopped shipping to Japan.

The stoppage followed a spat between China and Japan last month over islands whose ownership is disputed.

A spokesman for China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Zhu Hongren, said: "China will not use rare earths as a bargaining tool. We will have cooperation with other countries in the use of rare earths, because it is a non-renewable energy resource."

But Mr Zhu did not answer a reporter's question about when normal exports of rare earth minerals would resume.

China has about 30% of rare earth mineral deposits, but accounts for about 97% of production.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on China to clarify its policy on rare earth resources.

She said recent Chinese restrictions served as a "wake-up call" for the industrialised world which should drive it to look for other suppliers.

Rare earth metals are scarce minerals that have particular properties, such as being magnetic or shining in low light.

This makes them particularly useful in some new technologies, such as solar panels or electric cars or light-weight batteries.

Japanese companies say Beijing has blocked rare earth shipments to Japan since 21 September after a Chinese fishing boat captain was detained near disputed islands.

I'm sure the Chinese want to conserve the planet and limit export of these materials.

S.

"Rare as it is
(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-29 07:57
Attempts by some rich countries to challenge China's decision to enhance control and regulation over rare earth minerals is the latest evidence of astounding unfairness in the current global economic and trade order.

If the world economy is to embrace a sustainable recovery, no country should stand in the way of China properly pricing resources as scarce as rare earths.

The Chinese government made it clear again on Thursday that it will not use its current dominance of global rare earth supplies as a bargaining tool. Such an official statement is meant to ease unjustified international concerns that China may be using its rare earth exports as an economic and political lever.

China enjoyed little appreciation over the past two decades when it was burdened with the world's demand for the 17 elements called rare earths. With about one third of the world's total reserves, China has satisfied more than 90 percent of the world's need for rare earth elements at such an abnormally low price that it belied the name.

Yet, even more absurd, while other countries of large reserves like the United States have contributed virtually nothing to global supply in the past decade, they are demanding China, the largest producer of the elements, to keep exporting with little say over the price and quantity of exports.

It is no secret that regulatory problems in the domestic industry must have contributed to this abnormal trade.

Hence, when China decided to strengthen its regulatory measures on the exploration, production and export of rare earths in line with international practice and WTO rules, those import countries that have benefited from China's cheap export of rare earth materials for a long time should not be too surprised.

Given the severe environmental problems associated with their exploration, as well as their increasing value as essential elements in new energy technologies, it is all too natural that rare earths will become much dearer than before.

While China retains its position as the largest exporter of rare earth materials, no one should expect the country to continue to meet most of the world's demand, because that is simply unsustainable given that it has only one third of the world's reserves.

Besides, if the international community is really serious about sustainable development, China's efforts to exercise control and regulation over its rare earth industry should be a welcome step.

The long-term benefit of pricing resources appropriately is far more important to sustainable development around the world than the short-term gainsthat importers can reap from cheap rare earth elements.

But international efforts to fix the global economic and trade order in line with a sustainable future, unfortunately, remain rare. "

Everyone should applaud China's efforts towards a sustainable future!


http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2010-10/29/content_11473877.htm
S.