Rare earth prices extend increases, consumers remain cautious 

Shanghai base metals were mostly lower on Tuesday morning as investors awaited the release of China's trade data for June. Meanwhile, their counterparts on the LME also fell for the most part.

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.

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. 

It set listed price for terbium oxide at 3.75 million yuan/mt, down 150,000 yuan/mt from January 13, while the price for dysprosium oxide was cut by 100,000 yuan/mt to 1.8 million yuan/mt

Price for terbium oxide remained at 4.12 million yuan/mt for a third straight week.

Export volume shrank 7.08% on the month to 4,328.9 mt in Apr