War games: China and Japan draw battle lines in rare earths quarrel

• Autores: Laura Syrett
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 544, 2013
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Despite international pressure on China to relax its trading policy, rare earths exports are not expected to pick up during the final quarter of 2012. With China now in its winter period of "hibernation" for mining, expertsEpredict thatEnear-term trading patternsEwill follow those of previous lean years.

    In a similar move the Japanese rare earths trading group Toyotsu Rare Earths Corporation has recently signed a joint venture agreement with junior Canadian explorer Matamec Explorations Inc., via its Canadian arm, Toyotsu Rare Earth Canada Inc. (TRECan), in connection with Matamec's Kipawa heavy rare earths deposit in Quebec.

    India is also being lined up as a potential supply partner. In November, India's government approved the policy of a rare earths deal with Japan and it is expected that Japan will begin importing around 4,000 tpa rare earths from the subcontinent from next year.