[SMM analysis] exports of rare earths rose 19.16 per cent in March from a year earlier, the highest level since at least 2014.

Published: Apr 14, 2020 16:01

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SMM4, March 14: China exported 5551 tons of rare earths in March, up 19.16 percent in March from a year earlier. Affected by the epidemic, the Customs announced in early February the combined release of import and export data for January and February.

Data released by the General Administration of Customs show that from January to February 2020, China's rare earth exports were 5489.2 tons, down 17.3 percent from the same period last year, and the amount of exports was 42.5 million US dollars, down 42.1 percent from the same period last year. The main rare earth export varieties in China are lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, lanthanum carbonate, yttrium oxide and so on. From the 2020 export data, lanthanum oxide exports fell about 36.3% year-on-year, mainly due to the decline in exports to the United States and Japan; lanthanum carbonate imports fell 6.9% year on year; cerium oxide increased by 172.5% year on year, the increase was mainly due to the increase in exports to South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Italy and France, and yttrium oxide exports increased by 15.5% compared with the same period last year, mainly due to the increase in exports to Italy.

China's rare earth exports of 5551 tons in March were the highest since at least 2014, and most of the prices of rare earth products fell sharply in March. SMM believes that the price decline may play a role in promoting the export of rare earth products.

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Rare earths exports

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