China Unveils Plan to Support Stable Growth of the Non-ferrous Metals Industry in 2025-2026

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and seven other departments issued the Work Plan for Stable Growth of the Non-ferrous Metals Industry (2025-2026). It proposed that from 2025 to 2026, the added value of the non-ferrous metals industry will grow by about 5% annually, with economic benefits maintaining a positive trend. The production of ten types of non-ferrous metals will increase by about 1.5% annually. Domestic resource development of copper, aluminum, and lithium will make positive progress. The output of recycled metals is expected to exceed 20 million mt, and the supply capacity of high-end products will continue to strengthen. The levels of green, low-carbon, and digital development will also continuously improve.

• The plan emphasized strengthening resource exploration and utilization.

A new round of strategic actions for mineral exploration breakthroughs will be implemented, enhancing surveys and explorations of resources such as copper, aluminum, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and tin, leading to new mineral discoveries. The method of mining rights transfer through competitive bidding will be improved, and mining rights will be scientifically and orderly released. Support will be provided for the research and development of green and efficient mining, beneficiation, and smelting technologies and equipment for low-grade, co-occurring, and difficult-to-process ores, to increase the recovery rate, beneficiation recovery rate, and comprehensive utilization rate of resources. Regions with suitable conditions will be supported in establishing recycling bases for waste resources, reinforcing the comprehensive utilization of waste copper, waste aluminum, and other waste non-ferrous metals, as well as the emerging solid waste from used power batteries and PV modules. A public service platform for the basic data of strategic mineral resource industries will be established to provide precise and efficient services for the utilization of mineral resources.

• The plan highlighted promoting the innovative development of high-end products.

Focusing on the needs of key industry chains such as next-generation information technology and NEVs, efforts will be made to achieve breakthroughs in high-purity metals and other high-quality raw materials, integrated structural and functional copper alloy materials, precious metal functional materials, and high-end rare earth new materials, improving the overall performance of products such as aluminum and magnesium alloy structural materials and cemented carbide and its products. The Excellent Quality Engineering for Manufacturing will be deeply implemented, guiding enterprises to enhance product quality and lead the creation of new demand through high-quality supply. The Guidelines for the Construction of New Materials Pilot Platforms (2024-2027) will be implemented, supporting the construction of pilot platforms for new non-ferrous metal materials and low-carbon smelting processes. The role of key new material platforms will be leveraged to support enterprises in carrying out "one-stop" application plans, accelerating the verification and iterative upgrading of materials.

• The plan noted the need to enhance the application level of rare metals.

Focusing on emerging industries such as integrated circuits, industrial mother machines, low-altitude economy, humanoid robots, and artificial intelligence, efforts will be made to accelerate the application verification of high-end products such as high-purity gallium, tungsten cemented carbide, and all-solid-state battery materials, and promote the innovative applications of frontier materials such as superconducting materials, liquid metals, and high-entropy alloys. Downstream user enterprises and research institutions will be encouraged to open up application scenarios, create typical cases of application scenarios, and foster new markets.

• The plan stated the promotion of the upgrade of bulk metal consumption.

Focusing on application fields such as NEVs, next-generation electronic information, and aerospace, efforts will be made to actively expand the application of high-strength, high-toughness, and corrosion-resistant aluminum materials, and accelerate the promotion of high-strength and high-conductivity copper wire and cable, 5G base station copper heat sinks, ultra-low roughness copper foil, and high-precision copper gears. The application of magnesium alloys in components such as forged wheel hubs, large integrated castings, and motor casings for NEVs will be continuously expanded. Upstream and downstream enterprises will be supported in establishing long-term stable cooperative relationships through signing long-term procurement agreements, sharing the risks of raw material price fluctuations, and jointly maintaining the smooth and stable operation of the supply chain.

• The plan indicated the coordinated use of existing funding channels, including ultra-long-term special treasury bonds, to support the development of non-ferrous metal resources, the breakthrough of high-end materials, energy conservation, pollution reduction, carbon reduction, and digital transformation.

Policies such as the first batch insurance compensation for new materials will be utilized to support the initial market cultivation. The role of the People's Bank of China's credit market service platform and the national industry-finance cooperation platform will be leveraged to guide banks and other financial institutions to support the construction and upgrading of projects that meet industry standards and self-discipline conventions according to market principles and the rule of law. Existing tax and fee reduction policies will be fully utilized. Important non-ferrous metal futures trading varieties and financial derivatives will be enriched at an appropriate time. National reserves of important varieties will be managed. The assessment and guidance of related state-owned enterprises will be strengthened, encouraging more resource development, technological innovation, and the commercialization of results. The Talent Support Plan for Manufacturing will be implemented, and the national outstanding engineer practice base will be built and utilized well, cultivating a group of high-level technical, skilled, and managerial talents.

• The plan mentioned the orderly advancement of project construction.

Through the establishment of green channels and other means, the approval, filing, energy-saving review, environmental impact assessment, and safety facility design review of mineral resource development projects will be accelerated in accordance with laws and regulations. The guarantee of production factors will be improved, and the scheduling of the construction of mineral resource development projects will be strengthened, promoting the commissioning of under-construction projects, the expansion of production capacity of operating projects, and the construction of new projects. The layout of projects such as alumina, copper smelting, and lithium carbonate will be scientifically and reasonably planned to avoid repetitive and low-level construction, improving the accuracy and effectiveness of investments.

Please note that this news is sourced from https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/htSuZw0EQgUTbr-Zxp_b4w and translated by SMM.