China eases controls on rare earths after WTO complaint

Associated Press ^ | Jan 5, 2015 1:55 AM EST

[Olog-hai]

China has scrapped its export quotas for rare earths, minerals used in mobile phones and other high-tech products, after losing a World Trade Organization case brought by Washington and other trading partners over controls that alarmed global technology producers.

The change was included in the Ministry of Commerce’s trade guidelines for 2015 but there was no separate announcement. Under the new guidelines, rare earths will require an export license but the amount that can be sold abroad will no longer be covered by a quota.

China’s curbs, imposed in 2009, prompted concern about supplies for global technology producers. They led to efforts to reopen or develop new mines in the United States and elsewhere, and by Japan and some other countries to recycle rare earths. …

[AnotherUnixGeek]

China’s curbs, imposed in 2009, prompted concern about supplies for global technology producers. They led to efforts to reopen or develop new mines in the United States and elsewhere

Heaven forbid the United States be forced to reopen or develop new mines. It's hard to believe I could ever sympathize with China over anything, but China does not magically possess all of the rare earths on the planet. But we burden ourselves with an EPA and environmental pressure groups which make mining too expensive to be profitable, while the Chinese do not - therefore we must rely on the Chinese for metals and rare earths that we're too squeamish to dig out of the ground ourselves. And having hobbled ourselves, we have the gall to howl in outrage if China dares to restrict it's own exports of these metals.

[Olog-hai]

Indeed. Having one’s cake and eating it too when you have enemies supplying you does tend to have “consequences”, as Obama might say.

[DesertRhino]

China corners the market. America makes mining our own impossible. Whines that China isn’t being fair. As recently as the 80s, this would have been unthinkable.

[gleeaikin]

I had the impression that China gets a lot of its rare earths from Africa where they have pushed a strong commercial presence. They had to remove 30,000 nationals when the Libya situation blew up. Hope this is a sign they are more willing to play nice in exchange for better world business opportunity.

[BobL]

Smart move by China, no need to constrain supply now - use it as a tool when the SHTF.

Of course we could start to STOCKPILE these materials, but that would imply a high enough level of intelligence to realize that China is NOT our friend - and we are NOWHERE CLOSE to that level and will likely never get close.

[The Duke]

WHERE’S_TODD_HOFFMAN_WHEN_YOU_NEED_HIM_PING!