Rare earth exports shrink in Apr

Rare earth prices were generally lower last week, with prices of many products including praseodymium-neodymium, terbium, dysprosium, and holmium down from a week ago, and transaction atmosphere cooled down significantly. Prices of praseodymium-neodymium oxide showed signs of stabilising, while prices of praseodymium-neodymium metal remained weak amid muted trades. Prices of terbium and dysprosium found no support and market participants generally hoped that large enterprises would stockpile. Prices of gadolinium and holmium diverged. Gadolinium received brisk inquiries, while holmium saw quiet trades. Prices of praseodymium were largely stable , while prices of neodymium continued to decline amid sluggish transactions.

Neodymium praseodymium prices rose slightly amid the news of environmental inspections in Ganzhou over the previous week.

China rare earth producer Shenghe Resources which has survived the Sichuan flood, issued an update on its losses yesterday.

Brazil's Vale has resumed operations at its distribution centre in Malaysia, the Teluk Rubiah Maritime Terminal (TRMT), but the fast spreading of the coronavirus in Brazil may keep its iron ore shipments from rebounding significantly in the near term. 

Prices of praseodymium-neodymium oxides, a type of light rare earth, increased for the fifth consecutive day as of May 14, lifted by stepped-up downstream stockpiling as demand resumes with the fading impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Southwest China's Yunnan province has unveiled detailed allocation of its first batch of rare earth and tungsten mining output quotas for this year. According to a circular issued by the province’s Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday, Yunnan issued 2,615 mt of mining quotas for tungsten concentrate and 12 mt for rare earth in the first batch for 2020.

Prices of light and medium-to-heavy rare earth products mostly declined last week as the widespread COVID-19 overseas weakened investors’ prospects for demand and kept domestic consumers from...

Demand for rare earth may continue to face potential impact from the coronavirus, but costs will lend some support to rare earth prices, SMM estimates. In the long run, bullish prospects for China’s infrastructure development and more stimulus measures for its new energy vehicle market are expected to lift consumption of rare earth and revive the market. 

Brazilian iron ore miner Vale on Nov 11 trimmed its forecast for iron ore and pellet sales to 307-312 million mt in 2019

Domestic prices of spot spodumene concentrate are expected to move lower with prices of lithium salts given high inventories