On July 9, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources issued another notice on the release of the first batch of rare earth mining, smelting and separation total control indicators for 2020, which were 66,000 tons and 63,500 tons respectively, a 10% increase from the first batch of data last year.

According to statistics of total control indicators, the total amount of rock and mineral (light rare earth) oxide products of the 6 rare earth groups is 56,425 tons, and the total amount of ionic (heavy rare earth) oxide products is 9,575 tons. Comparing with last year’s data, it can be found that the increase is concentrated in light rare earths, and the heavy rare earth indicators remain unchanged.

The light and heavy rare earths are divided by gadolinium. The 7 elements of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, and europium before gadolinium are light rare earth elements, also known as rare earth elements of the cerium group; gadolinium and terbium, dysprosium, and holmium after gadolinium 9 elements such as, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium and yttrium are called heavy rare earth elements, also known as yttrium group rare earth elements. Heavy rare earths are relatively scarce and are widely used in high-tech fields such as aerospace, military, national defense, and synthesis of new materials, with weak substitutability and high prices. The supply of light rare earths is sufficient, and the application market needs to be further developed. The basic principles and direction of the country’s regulation of rare earth products can be seen from the control indicators.