Jan. 9 - China, the world's biggest supplier of rare earths, set the first of two production quotas for 2013 at 46,900 metric tons of the ore, which is refined for use in mobile phones, hybrid cars and missile systems.

The figure is about half the total quota set last year, according to a Ministry of Land and Resources statement posted on its website on Saturday. The ministry did not make the production quotas public last year, while the figure for 2011 was 93,800 tons. Output quotas for the rest of the year will be announced in the second quarter, according to the statement.