Space Travel News  
CAR TECH
China rare earth exports up 14.5% January-November

by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Jan 18, 2011
China said Tuesday its rare earth exports rose 14.5 percent in the first 11 months of last year as prices more than doubled, with most of the shipments going to Japan, Europe and the United States.

Exports of the minerals -- 17 elements vital to everything from iPods to wind turbines -- hit 35,000 tonnes for the January-November period, the commerce ministry said, exceeding Beijing's full-year quota of 30,300 tonnes.

"China will continue to supply rare earths to the international markets and manage rare earth export quotas according to rules of the World Trade Organization," spokesman Yao Jian told a regular briefing.

Yao did not explain how exports exceeded the 2010 quota but it is possible that leftovers from the 2009 allotment were sold last year.

The value of the exports soared 171 percent from a year earlier as prices for the minerals jumped by around 130 percent, Yao told reporters.

Shipments to Japan, the European Union and the United States -- who have been vocal critics of China's rare earth export restrictions -- made up 86 percent of total exports in the period, he added.

China, which produces more than 95 percent of the world's rare earths, has tightened control over the elements by cutting quotas for overseas shipments and hiking export taxes.

Japanese industry said last year that Beijing temporarily cut off exports in the midst of a diplomatic row.

The moves have raised concern overseas that China was abusing its market dominance, with the United States calling on the country not to use rare earths as a "trade weapon".

But Beijing has denied any political motivation over rare earths and has insisted the issue is an environmental one.

The commerce ministry said last month it had slashed rare earth export quotas by about 35 percent for the first six months of this year.

Yao said Tuesday that the government was still considering the full-year quota and would announce its decision "in a timely manner".



Share This Article With Planet Earth
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit
YahooMyWebYahooMyWeb GoogleGoogle FacebookFacebook



Related Links
Car Technology at SpaceMart.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


CAR TECH
Toyota working on motors that cut rare earth use
Tokyo (AFP) Jan 18, 2011
Toyota on Tuesday said it is developing a new type of electric motor that would reduce its need for magnets, a move analysts say would help it cut its dependence on rare earth metals and lower costs. The world's largest seller of hybrid automobiles is reportedly working on a motor based on common and inexpensive induction motors found in appliances such as kitchen mixers that use electromag ... read more







CAR TECH
First Delta IV Heavy Launches From Vandenberg

Beaming Rockets Into Space

Arianespace Announces Eutelsat Contract

ATM Is Readied For Its February Launch On Ariane 5

CAR TECH
New images of martian moon released

The Southern Hemisphere Of Phobos, Up Close

Chinese Astronaut Performs Well In Mars-500 Project

Space crew to simulate Mars walk next month

CAR TECH
Draper Commits One Million Dollars To Next Giant Leap's Moon Lander

Lunar water may have come from comets - scientists

Moon Has Earth-Like Core

The Hunt For The Lunar Core

CAR TECH
Launch Plus Five Years: A Ways Traveled, A Ways To Go

Mission To Pluto And Beyond Marks 10 Years Since Project Inception

CAR TECH
Inclined Orbits Prevail

Inclined Orbits Prevail In Exoplanetary Systems

Planet Affects A Star's Spin

Kepler Mission Discovers Its First Rocky Planet

CAR TECH
Japanese rocket puts cargo into orbit

Indonauts Must Wait For A Better Rocket

Canada says it could build launch rockets

ISRO Scanning Data For GSLV Flop

CAR TECH
Slow progress in U.S.-China space efforts

China Builds Theme Park In Spaceport

Tiangong Space Station Plans Progessing

China-Made Satellite Keeps Remote Areas In Venezuela Connected

CAR TECH
More Asteroids Could Have Made Life's Ingredients

NASA Spacecraft Prepares For Valentine's Day Comet Rendezvous

NASA Radar Reveals Features on Asteroid

A Look Into Vesta's Interior


The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement