Mitsui Mining & Smelting to Hurry Cerium Polishing Material Recycle

Mitsui Mining & Smelting concentrates cerium polishing material recycling development when China stops rare earth export including cerium to Japan. The firm aims to keep stable polishing material supply developing the recycle technology.

Mitsui Mining & Smelting, the largest cerium polishing material maker in Japan, produced 400 tonnes polishing material per month at the peak. However, the firm’s production is 200 tonnes after cerium supply shortage.

China, which dominates more than 95% share of worlds’ rare earth production, announced 40% reduction in rare earth export volume in 2010 compared with 2009 in July. Due to the Chinese governmental policy, exporters in China increased the export of high-priced rare earth for magnet including neodymium and reduced cerium export. Furthermore, Mitsui Mining & Smelting has not been able to secure cerium since late September due to the stop of import from China.