China Rare Earth Industry Report, 2006 ..

In 2005, China rare earth industry witnessed a healthy and rapid development. China's domestic application of rare earth reached 51,900 tons, accounting for nearly 50% of smelting and separating rare earth products. Meanwhile, the economic returns have also improved greatly. The total consumption of rare earth in China amounted to 8,000 tons in 2005 and the figure will reach 12,300 tons by 2010.

China rare earth market has developed well in 2006. During the first half of 2006, the price of rare earth increased dramatically as well as the total export, particularly for the strategic lanthanon such as terbia, dysprosium oxide, neodymium oxide, neodymium and terbium, etc.

According to the statistics, there are 154 million tons of exploitable rare earth reserves globally, among which 89 million tons (about 58%) are distributed in China. Currently, China has established a complete production system from exploiting, selecting, smelting, separating, and analyzing to testing, with which it can produce over 100 kinds of rare earth products. However, it lags far behind the developed countries in hi-tech rare earth development and application.

The disorderly competition in China rare earth market, especially among rare earth separating enterprises, resulted in a price chaos, and a price war is being fought among domestic enterprises. China tops of the world in rare earth reserves, production scale & output, export and consumption, yet Chinese rare earth enterprises are obsessed with lower price. Therefore, it is imperative for China rare earth industry to carry out an upgrade strategy as soon as possible. And actually, in 2006, the rare earth quota has decreased by 10% over 2005 as a result of related policies formulated by Chinese government, such as the reform of export drawback, and the quota adjustment, etc.

In terms of rare earth products, the primary ones will be gradually replaced by refined chemical ones in the near future and it will show the characteristics of much purer, more compounds and more refined. Besides, foreign capitals will introduce into Chinese markets, which would result in a new round of competition, and inevitably, some small-scale featureless companies will be eliminated from the market eventually.

The revival of automotive and electronics industry boosts great demand of the rare earth industry. Automotive catalytic converter and permanent magnet are expected to keep strong demands for cerium and neodymium until 2009. Currently, the production capacity of China rare earth has an excessive growth. In the first half of 2006, newly-increased rare earth separating capacity in Jiangxi and Guangdong reached nearly 10,000 tons, and moreover, the total rare earth separating capacity in South China alone accumulated to 54,700 tons.

At present, the global demand for rare earth, calculated in rare earth oxide, is up to approximately 80,000-90,000 tons annually. Yet, in China, the treatment capacity of rare earth has realized 200,000 tons per year, and smelting & separating capacity has reached more than 200,000 tons annually.

The global application of rare earth is forecasted to be 110,000 tons in 2007. The global demand for rare earth in 2010-2012 will be 600,000 tons (including 350, 000 tons applied in hybrid electric vehicle), half of which will come from China. The global demand for rare earth in 2020-2025 will reach 2 million tons (including over 1.5 million tons applied in hydrogen fuel vehicle, hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle, each accounting for 1/3), some 35% (around 700.000 tons) of which will come from China.

Contents

1 Overview of rare earth industry development
1.1 Development of China rare earth industry
1.1.1 Background
1.1.2 Development course
1.2 Characteristics
1.2.1 Characteristics of rare earth
1.2.2 Characteristics of rare earth industry
1.3 Industry policies
1.3.1 Investment policies
1.3.2 Import & export policies
1.3.3 Policy of industry optimization and upgrade

2 Rare earth resources in China
2.1 Overview
2.2 Development strategies
2.2.1 Resource advantages
2.2.2 Strategy of developed countries
2.2.3 Improving the Mining rate
2.2.4 Overseas rare earth resources utilization
2.2.5 Expanding reserves and maintaining advantages

3 Development of China rare earth industry
3.1 Status quo in 2006
3.1.1 Industry overview
3.1.2 Industry structure
3.1.3 Competitiveness
3.2 China rare earth market in 2006
3.2.1 Market overview
3.2.2 Price
3.2.3 Supply and demand
3.3 Rare earth export of China in 2006
3.3.1 Export status
3.3.2 Development trends
3.4 Problems in China rare earth industry in 2006
3.4.1 Restriction from environment and resources
3.4.2 Disorderly competition
3.4.3 Excessive expansion
3.4.4 Weak awareness of independent IPR

4 Major producing areas of rare earth
4.1 Inner Mongolia
4.1.1 Overview
4.1.2 Industry structure
4.1.3 Status quo in Baotou
4.2 South China
4.2.1 Overview
4.2.2Rare earth mines
4.2.3 Rare earth separating
4.2.4 Rare earth metals and others
4.2.5 Development trends
4.3 Jiangxi
4.3.1 Overview
4.3.2 Development of Ganzhou rare earth industry
4.3.3 Layout of Ganzhou rare earth industry
4.3.4 Development strategies on rare earth in Ganzhou
4.4 Other regions
4.4.1 Sichuan
4.4.2 Anhui

5 Major fields for rare earth application
5.1 Catalysis
5.2 Permanent magnet
5.3 Luminescent materials
5.4 Glass
5.5 Polishing powder
5.6 Metallurgy
5.7 Ceramics
5.8 Agriculture

6 Major domestic rare earth enterprises
6.1 Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Co., Ltd
6.1.1 Company profile
6.1.2 Financial results in 2006
6.1.3 Prospect
6.2 China Rare Earth Holding Limited (CRE)
6.2.1 Company profile
6.2.2 Development course
6.2.3 Operating performance in 2006
6.2.4 Prospects
6.3 Beijing Zhong Ke San Huan Hi-Tech Co., Ltd
6.3.1 Company profile
6.3.2 Financial results in 2006
6.3.3 Operating performance
6.3.4 Advantages and disadvantages
6.3.5 Development strategies
6.4 Ningbo Yunsheng Co., Ltd
6.4.1 Company profile
6.4.2 Financial results in 2006
6.4.3 Operating performance
6.4.4 Development strategies
6.5 Advanced Technology & Materials Co., Ltd (AT&M)
6.5.1 Company profile
6.5.2 Financial results in 2006
6.5.3 Development strategies
6.6 Jiangxi South Rare Earth Hi-tech Co., Ltd
6.6.1 Company profile
6.6.2 Operating performance

7 Development forecast and investment suggestions of rare earth industry
7.1 Development forecast
7.1.1 Development orientation of the industry and products
7.1.2 Forecast of the rare earth market
7.1.3 Prospect
7.2 Strategies and suggestions


Tables/Figures

Export of rare earth products of China, 2000-2005
Average price of exported rare earth products, 2000-2005
Export statistics of rare earth products in China, 2005
List of rare earth export enterprises, 2006
Main products and production capacity of Baotou rare earth industry
Mine output of major southern provinces, 2005
Scale of major southern ion-absorbed rare earth separating enterprises
Concentration of capacities of neodymium, ferrum and boron in China
Duration of patent rights of neodymium, ferrum and boron products
Export price of metal Nd and Nd oxide
Industry chain of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech
Major shareholders of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech
Revenue structure of prime business of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005
Profit structure of prime business of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005
Profitability of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Operating capability of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Debt-paying capability of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Capital structure of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Development capability of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Cash flow of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Profit allocation of Rare-Earth Hi-Tech, 2005-2006
Valuation comparison of CRE and Rare-Earth Hi-Tech
Gross profit trend of rare earth concentrate of CRE
Price trends of cerium oxide and lanthanum oxide, 2003-2006
Profit-making forecast of CRE
Turnover of CRE by region, 2005-2006
Turnover of CRE by product, 2005-2006
Overall balance sheet of CRE, 2005-2006
Consolidated profit and loss account of CRE, 2005-2006
Major shareholders of Zhong Ke San Huan
Extension of the industry chain of Zhong Ke San Huan
Profitability of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Operating capability of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Debt-paying capability of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Capital structure of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Development capability of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Cash flow of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Profit allocation of Zhong Ke San Huan, 2005-2006
Price trends of neodymium and neodymium oxide, 2005-2006
Production cost structure of Zhong Ke San Huan
Competitiveness of Zhong Ke San Huan
Performance comparison of magnetic materials
Major distribution of China rare earth resources
Application of neodymium, ferrum and boron in hybrid vehicle
Scale forecast of China sintered neodymium, ferrum and boron market
Scale forecast of China felted neodymium, ferrum and boron market
Cost comparison of Zhong Ke San Huan and Japanese enterprises
Product price of Zhong Ke San Huan and international competitors
Products and main clients of Zhong Ke San Huan
Product structure of Sanhuan Lucky
Shareholding of Ningbo Yunsheng’s affiliated companies
Major shareholders of Ningbo Yunsheng
Profitability of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Operating capability of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Debt-paying capability of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Capital structure of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Development capability of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Cash flow of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Profit allocation of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005-2006
Proportion of prime operating revenue of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005
Proportion of prime business profit of Ningbo Yunsheng, 2005
Proportion of net profit of subsidiaries of Ningbo Yunsheng
Production capability of VCM of Ningbo Yunsheng
Major shareholders of AT&M
Profitability of AT&M, 2005-2006
Operating capability of AT&M, 2005-2006
Debt-paying capability of AT&M, 2005-2006
Capital structure of AT&M, 2005-2006
Development capability of AT&M, 2005-2006
Cash flow analysis of AT&M, 2005-2006
Profit allocation of AT&M, 2005-2006
Ingredient proportion of thulium of Baiyunerbo Mine
Raw material proportion of neodymium, ferrum and boron
Price trend of metal Nd and Nd oxide in domestic market, 2003-2006
Price trend of tungsten concentrate in domestic market, 2003-2006