China Issues 23,000 tonnes of Rare Earth Export License

Chinese government issued around 23,000 tonnes of export license for rare earth as the first batch for 2008. The total volume for the year could reduce to 36,000 tonnes in 2008 from 40,000 tonnes in 2007 when the country reduced the volume by 10% in recent years. The country reduces the export by around 3% for tungsten and antimony and by 10% for tin. The country reduced the export license by more than 10% for rare earth, by 3% for antimony and by 2.5% for tungsten in 2007 from 2006. The country also reduced the license by 30% for tin. Chinese government reduced the license by around 3% to 14,900 tonnes for tungsten and to 59,900 tonnes for antimony in 2008 from 2007. The country reduced the quota by 10% to 33,300 tonnes for tin and starts the export license control for molybdenum and indium. The country reduced the export license for rare earth to 40,000 tonnes in 2007 from 45,000 tonnes in 2006 and 50,000 tonnes in 2005. Chinese government tries to secure the metallic minerals for domestic consumption through severer control of export. The country increased the export tariff from 10% to 25% for yttrium oxide, dysprosium oxide, terbium oxide and europium oxide in January 2008. The export tariff increased from 10% to 15% for lanthanum oxide and neodymium oxide and from 5% to 10% for tungsten trioxide and ammonium paratungstate.