Enough Immediate Rare Earth Supply, Japan Major Trader

Advanced Material Japan’s president Shigeo Nakamura expects Japanese rare earth demand would decrease in long term when Japanese manufacturers shift the production to offshore plants. He recognizes the immediate supply is sufficient due to Chinese domestic overstock when Chinese government reduced export quota. He expects the market price could decrease to reasonable level under the supply condition.

Mr. Nakamura said the firm gets offer from rare earth suppliers every day. He said the buyers were willing to build inventory due to delay operation of US Mountain Pass and Australian Mount Weld but now the buyers are now reluctant to purchase additional volume under the supply condition.

Mr. Nakamura said world rare earth supply could increase sooner or later when various new projects will realize in years in the world. He recognizes Chinese export quota decreased to actual 27,000 tonnes for 2011 except for around 3,000 tonnes of ferroalloy export compared with 30,000 tonnes in 2010. However, he expects Chinese supply is enough to the demand when the demand deceases for overvalued Chinese cerium and lanthanum while the supply is still tight for dysprosium and terbium.

Mr. Nakamura expects Japanese rare earth magnet makers will shift the production into China when Chinese government would control export of rare earth alloy for magnet. He warns Japanese manufacturers including material makers should follow such trend to survive in new world economic order.