More dysprosium, more rare earth magnets, only terbium is weakening. China's exports of raw and processed materials picked up again overall in August.
China recorded significantly more Dysprosium exported. A total of around 16.7 tonnes were exported, according to the latest figures from the customs authorities. This is the highest monthly figure since February. Almost the entire quantity went to South Korea, with Japan and Norway receiving smaller shipments.
A different development can be seen in TerbiumExports fell from seven tonnes in July to 5.5 tonnes in August. Only three countries were supplied: Japan with four tonnes and South Korea with one tonne. Estonia (half a tonne) was the first European country to be among the customers since the introduction of export restrictions.
Rare earth magnets: exports continue to rise
The two Rare earths are among the key raw materials for high-tech applications, for example in the semiconductor industry or in chemical processes. However, they play their most important role in neodymium-iron-boron magnets (NdFeB), which are used in wind turbines and electric motors, among other things. China's exports of rare earth magnets rose by more than ten per cent in August compared to the previous month, to around 6,146 tonnes. Germany accounted for the largest share with 1,346 tonnes, followed by the USA, Vietnam, South Korea and Mexico. Following a brief decline in May, deliveries appear to be normalising again.
Jan Giese, Senior Manager Minor Metals and Rare Earths, assesses the situation as follows:
"The export figures for rare earth magnets show a positive trend and are even above the previous year's level. However, it is not clear from the customs statistics whether these include high-performance magnets with heavy rare earths such as terbium or dysprosium, as all magnet types are recorded under a single code. In principle, it was to be expected that exports would begin to normalise again after a few months, as magnets are highly application-specific and difficult to use for purposes other than their intended purpose."
Licence backlog despite rising exports
A survey by the European Chamber of Commerce in China shows that many companies are still waiting for supplies despite the positive export figures, reports the Reuters news agency. By 9 September, only 19 of 141 applications had been approved.
The background is the Export licence systemto which certain rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium have been subject since April. Since then, every export has required a licence. This initially led to a sharp decline in deliveries before exports gradually recovered. The raw materials are essential for high-tech industries, particularly for the production of powerful permanent magnets that increase heat resistance and efficiency.
Beijing justifies the stricter requirements with the dual-use nature of these raw materials: they are relevant for both civilian and military applications and are therefore considered sensitive in terms of security policy.
