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Rare earth metals

1. [verwijderd] 5 juni 2011 18:21

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   postzak schreef op 4 juni 2011 17:23:

   [...]
   Je kunt ook de ETF kopen, NYSE: REMX finance.yahoo.com/q?s=remx&ql=1

   De ETF heeft weinig te maken met REE's, maar veel meer met andere 'zeldzame' metalen.
   
   Er zijn simpelweg nauwelijks aandelen te koop van producerende REE-mijnen.
2. [verwijderd] 5 juni 2011 18:51

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   De koers van certificaten in zeldzame aardmetalen die RBS uitgegeven heeft gaven aanvankelijk een positief beeld te zien.
   
   Vanaf de introductie van € 10.- naar bijna € 13 in een maand tijd.
   
   Maar toen de mondiale groeivertraging in zicht kwam was het afgelopen met de pret.
   De koers in nu met een € 10,22 net boven de introductiekoers en een verdere daling is zeer wel mogelijk.
   
   Wacht op een RSI onder 30 in een markt vol pessimisme.
   
   Groet.
   
   
3. voda 6 juni 2011 16:52

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   Inner Mongolia to promote sustainable development of rare earth sector
   
   Shanghai Daily reported that China's largest rare earth producing region aims to overhaul the industry as part of efforts to promote sustainable development of the sector.
   
   As per report, 22 rare earth smelters in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will be compensated after they are shut down this month, while another nine unauthorized processors will be closed without any reimbursement.
   
   According to a statement on the Baotou City government website, four others will be acquired by Baotou Iron and Steel Group Co.
   
   China is the world's largest supplier of rare earth, which is used in mobile phones, hybrid cars and missiles. But the industry has been plagued by illegal mining, excessive smelting capacity that have caused huge environmental damage. The government has reacted with quotas for production and exports and pushed for tougher environmental standards for the industry, while encouraging mergers and acquisitions.
   
   Premier Mr Wen Jiabao said in February 2011 that China will streamline its rare earth industry in the next 5 years. He added that "The regional consolidation aims to achieve a work system of unified mining, exploration, smelting and management of rare earth production and processing under Baotou Iron and Steel Group."
   
   Baotou Steel is the parent company of the Shanghai listed Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare Earth Hi-Tech Co.
   
   (Sourced from Shanghai Daily)
   
4. voda 6 juni 2011 17:00

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   Japan to support projects to cut rare earth China dependence
   
   The Japanese government had announced emergency measures on June 3rd 2011 to avoid being held hostage by Chinese price fixing and quotas for rare earth metals crucial to industrial production.
   
   The JPY 30 billion program by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry provides subsidies for development of alternative materials and rare earth recycling technologies. The goal is to prevent Japanese manufacturers of automobiles and electronics from being forced to shift production to China, which mines most of the global supply of the metals, to acquire stable supplies.
   
   To finance the emergency subsidy program, the ministry will use JPY 8.7 billion of the money earmarked for policy measures related to rare earths included in the supplementary budget for fiscal 2010. The program, which will also cover some exotic metals like tungsten, will provide a third to half of the costs of 68 corporate projects, including efforts to develop alternative materials and recycling technologies and curtail rare earth consumption.
   
   A total of about JPY 30 billion will be shelled out for these projects, including the spending by the companies themselves. These research and development projects, if successful, could lead to a significant drop in Japan's imports of rare earth minerals, which are essential for manufacturing a wide range of high tech products, from abrasives used to manufacture hard disk substrates and motor parts for hybrid vehicles.
   
   The ministry hopes the effects of the subsidy program will make it unnecessary for Japanese companies with cutting edge technologies in related industries to shift their manufacturing and development operations to China, where it is easier to secure rare earth supplies.
   
   The ministry's plan also offers financial aid to small and medium sized companies that supply vital auto and electronics parts containing rare earth metals. Disruptions in supplies of such components would cause serious trouble for the domestic operations of carmakers and electronics manufacturers.
   
   Under the program, the ministry will provide support to five companies in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake to help them restore their operations. Japan consumes 20,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes of rare earth metals per year.
   
   The main cause of the sharp rise in prices in recent months is Beijing's move to set minimum prices for their exports. Since late last year, Chinese customs authorities banned rare earth exports priced below its minimum price. China's measures to restrict rare earth exports, which also include export quotas and taxes, have caused difficulties for Japanese manufacturers as Japan depends on China for 80% of its rare earth consumption.
   
   The Chinese government set the rare earth export quota for Japan at 14,446 tonnes for the first half of this year. But Japan's rare earth imports from the country during the first three months of the year came only to 3,500 tonnes, about a quarter of the quota for the six month period through June 2011, as higher prices prompted companies to cut back on imports.
   
   An official at the ministry warns that a fall in Japanese imports below the expected level could lead to a sharp cut in the quota for the second half of the year. The Japanese government has been promoting efforts to diversify the sources of imports of rare earths by securing supplies from countries like Vietnam.
   
   But it will be several years before significant production of rare earth elements starts in other countries. The situation is putting strong pressure on Japanese manufacturers to figure out other ways to reduce their heavy dependence on rare earth imports from China.
   
   (Sourced from www.asahi.com)
   
5. voda 7 juni 2011 18:26

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   Rare earths in China to rally even amid slowdown - Guotai
   
   According to Guotai Junan Securities Co, rare earths will extend rallies in China as the government takes further steps to safeguard resources, outweighing the possible impact on prices of slower economic growth.
   
   Mr Sang Yongliang, the company's metals and mining analyst, wrote in a June 3rd 2011 report that delays in projects coming on stream from the US and Australia will ensure that China continues to be biggest producer until at least 2013.
   
   China has clamped down on rare earth mining and cut export quotas to protect the environment. The moves boosted prices and sparked concern among overseas users such as Japan about access to supplies. Rare earths, 17 chemically similar elements, are used in wind turbines, hybrid cars and guided missiles.
   
   Mr Sang wrote that "The government is serious about ensuring the strategic security of rare earth metals and any additional measures taken on this will continue to be the main driver of prices. Rare earth prices will be able to withstand pressures from any slowdown in the economic environment."
   
   According to data from Shanghai Steelhome Information, among rare earths, the prices of neodymium, lanthanum, dysprosium, cerium, terbium, yttrium and praseodymium were at all time highs in Shanghai on June 3rd 2011.
   
   The State Council said in a development plan on May 19th 2011 that taxes on mined rare earths will be increased by a big margin. China will also raise standards for exporters and won't approve project expansions to curb overcapacity and illegal mining.
   
   According to a June 3rd 2011 statement on the Baotou city government website, the northern province of Inner Mongolia, which accounts for more than 75% of the country's rare earths output, aims to complete the consolidation of 35 producers under Baotou Iron and Steel Group Co this month.
   
   (Sourced from www.bloomberg.net)
   
6. voda 10 juni 2011 16:45

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   Baotou Steel denies rare earth investment rumors
   
   It is reported that Baotou Steel Union denied rumors that it has formed a joint venture with Pangang Group Steel Vanadium and Titanium to develop the world third largest rare earth mine in Sichuan province.
   
   The mine is rumored to have more than 400,000 tons of light rare earths with a post-development market value of more than CNY 400 billion. Shares of both firms were suspended recently fomenting further speculation about the alleged investment.
   
   (Sourced from nbd.com.cn)
   
7. voda 20 juni 2011 16:34

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   Prijzen zeldzame aardmetalen scherp omhoog
   Gepubliceerd op 20 jun 2011 om 12:22 | Views: 945
   
   PEKING (AFN) - De prijzen van zeldzame aardmetalen zijn de afgelopen week door een slinkend aanbod tot 96 procent gestegen.
   
   De sterke prijsstijging van de metalen wordt veroorzaakt doordat China, dat 94 procent van de 17 soorten zeldzame aardmetalen produceert, de productie in sommige mijnen heeft stilgelegd. De Chinezen vinden de prijzen op de internationale markt te laag en willen op deze manier een prijsstijging afdwingen, aldus een analist.
   
   De prijzen van neodymium, een belangrijke grondstof voor magneten, en dysprosium, dat veel gebruikt wordt in computers en windturbines, zijn dit jaar al verdrievoudigd. Volgens een recent rapport van Ernst & Young zal de wereldwijde vraag naar zeldzame aardmetalen tot 2016 met 60 procent stijgen.
   
   Voorraden
   
   Om zijn grip op de markt voor zeldzame aardmetalen te vergroten, is het Chinese staatsmijnbedrijf Baotou recent begonnen reservoirs te bouwen waarin 200.000 ton metalen wordt opgeslagen, ruim twee keer de Chinese jaarproductie. Tot dusverre hielden alleen westerse landen noemenswaardige voorraden van de metalen aan. Om de reservoirs te kunnen vullen, heeft China de exportquota flink verlaagd, wat heeft geleid tot een opwaartse druk op de prijzen.
   
   Om in te springen op het krimpende aanbod en de stijgende vraag, gaan onder andere de mijnbedrijven Lynas en Molycorp beginnen met het delven van zeldzame aardmetalen in Australië en de Verenigde Staten. Deze mijnen moeten volgend jaar operationeel zijn, waarna de prijzen van aardmetalen vanaf 2013 zouden moeten gaan zakken.
   
   Analisten zijn echter verdeeld over dit voornemen. ,,De productie van zuivere aardmetalen vergt veel aandacht. Het zal zeker 5 jaar duren voor we een concurrent van buiten China zullen zien in deze markt'', aldus een analist.
   
8. [verwijderd] 20 juni 2011 16:43

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   tickerspy.com Staff, On Friday June 17, 2011, 12:36 pm EDT
   
   Shares of Molycorp (NYSE: MCP - News), the largest U.S.-based rare earths miner, continue to struggle and are down another 1% today despite news that prices for the 17 elements used to make electric cars, military devices, smartphones and scores of other high-tech gadgets doubled in the past two weeks as China, the world's largest rare earths exporter, continues to exert a tight grip on rare earths production and exports.
   
   The Rare Earths Stocks Index is flat on the news and has tumbled nearly 15% in the past month. The cost of dysprosium oxide, used in magnets, lasers and nuclear reactors, has risen to about $1,470 a kilogram from $700 to $740 at the start of the month, Bloomberg News reported, citing Industrial Minerals.
   
   China has already pared export quotas to 30,000 tons from 35,000 tons last year and Goldman Sachs said last month more quota reductions could be on the way, which would move prices even higher, Bloomberg reported. The price of europium oxide, which is used in the production of plasma TVs, has jumped to as much as $3,400 per kilogram from $1,260-$1,300 per kilogram, according to Industrial Minerals.
   
   On Thursday, Chinese officials said they expect rare earths supply to outpace demand within five years on the expectation new projects in countries such as Australia and the U.S. will help curb the current supply/demand imbalance. Still, with China continuing to restrict rare earths exports and strong demand, rare earths prices are likely to continue rising in the near-term.
9. [verwijderd] 20 juni 2011 16:44

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   quote:

   voda schreef op 20 juni 2011 16:34:

   Analisten zijn echter verdeeld over dit voornemen. ,,De productie van zuivere aardmetalen vergt veel aandacht. Het zal zeker 5 jaar duren voor we een concurrent van buiten China zullen zien in deze markt'', aldus een analist.

   Deze man heeft waarschijnlijk nog nooit van Stans Energy (HRE.V) gehoord.
10. [verwijderd] 20 juni 2011 18:26

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    De insiders van Molycorp verkopen als gekken:
    
    www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/story/111582...
11. voda 21 juni 2011 16:56

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    Rare Earth prices soar amid government consolidation
    
    Rare earth prices have soared starting in 2011 amid government efforts to consolidate the sector for more pricing power in the global market.
    
    According to data from CITIC Securities and China Commodity Marketplace, as of June 10th 2011, among light rare earth elements, neodymium rose to CNY 1.49 million per tonne up 339.7% from the beginning of this year while lanthanum oxide grew 413.8% to CNY 149,000 per ton in the same period.
    
    Among medium-heavy rare earth elements, europium oxide reached CNY 19,900 per kilogram up 571.4% from the beginning of this year and dysprosium oxide soared to CNY 7,993 per kilogram up 467.7%.
    
    Many enterprises in Eastern China's Zhejiang Province are halting production as result of short supply and soaring prices. Even the state controlled China Minmetals Company is suffering from shortages of rare earths.
    
    Rare earths related shares are rising despite recent overall slumps in the Chinese stock exchanges. But analysts are still divided on whether rare earth prices have already surged to a frothy level.
    
    Mr Guotai Junan Securities said that prices of rare earths depend solely on the national interest and the government's decision. Given the huge demand for rare earth minerals, escalating prices are seriously affecting manufacturers downstream. But the price hikes serve the government's aim to restructure the sector and move it up the value chain.
    
    Mr Guotai Junan said that moreover, China will still control the supply and hold the pricing power over rare earths until 2013, as production in the US and Australia currently can hardly reach their planned capacity,.
    
    According to Lianxun Securities, the price surge reflects the value of rare earth elements recovering from a repressed level over the past years. Price rises in the upstream industry will send repercussions to downstream businesses. Companies with lower value added products will be unable to pass over the rising cost and could be phased out.
    
    Lianxun noted that current prices are still at the mid and low range of prices of the 1960s after adjustments for inflation. Rare earth prices are on an upward spiral given their limited supply and the fact that the minerals are increasingly used in high-tech manufacturing.
    
    However, CITIC Securities said that there may be bubbles in the rare earths sector as the price surge has been driven by the government's tightening measures. Middlemen and miners have been hoarding the minerals in anticipation for higher profits.
    
    According to a report by the 21st Century Business Herald, many private equity firms and financial institutions have recently employed agencies to spread online rumors of massive investments in the rare earths sector.
    
    (Sourced from english.caing.com)
    
12. voda 21 juni 2011 16:58

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    Minmetals takes steps to help rare earth industry consolidate
    
    China Daily reported that China Minmetals Group Corporation has started exploration of heavy rare earth minerals in Guangdong province and expects to become one of the top 3 heavy rare earth companies to consolidate the scattered industry in the south of China.
    
    The State Council said in May that the country aims to let the three biggest companies control 80% of heavy rare earths in the south of the country within two years, without specifying the names.
    
    Mr Wang Jionghui assistant president, who is also the GM of Minmetals Exploration & Development Company Limited said that "The government has yet to make the decision. Minmetals is expected to be one of the three conglomerates owing to its scale in the mining and processing sectors."
    
    Mr Wang said that Minmetals has made remarkable progress in gold, rare-earth and tungsten exploration this year. Minmetals' gold project in Henan province is expected to yield up to 200,000 tons and work on the mine will start next year.
    
    The company also found a deposit of more than 1 million tonnes of light medium rare earths in Hubei province and large reserves of heavy rare earths in Guangdong province. Overseas exploration is expected to account for 50% of the company's total exploration business in the next 5 years.
    
    The company is involved in the exploration of an iron ore project owned by the Canadian mining company Century Iron Mines Corporation in Quebec. Wuhan Iron & Steel Group signed an agreement in February to acquire a stake and jointly develop iron ore projects.
    
    Mr Wang said that there is a possibility that Minmetals will also engage in the development of the project. The three conglomerates might be Minmetals, Aluminum Corporation of China Limited and Ganzhou Rare Earth Company Limited. Chinalco already has rare earth smelting capacity of 34,700 tonnes a year of and has rare earth mining and smelting JV in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous province and the provinces of Jiangxi and Guangdong in southern China.
    
    Ganzhou Rare Earth owns most of the mining licenses for rare earths in Jiangxi province, which is the nation's largest producer of ion absorbed type rare earths with verified reserves of 2.89 million tonnes accounting for 40% of the national total.
    (Sourced from China Daily)
    
13. voda 21 juni 2011 17:00

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    Mount Burgess raises USD 250000 for rare earth exploration in Namibia
    
    Mount Burgess Mining will now boost exploration at the company's African projects after completing a placement of 25 million shares at USD 0.01 to raise USD 250,000.
    
    At the Tsumkwe Project in Namibia, Mount Burgess will drill test a rare earth target and investigate the potential kimberlite target overlain by a recently discovered near-surface sub outcropping of highly silicified brecciated dyke like body.
    
    The company's rare earths progress has so far flown under the investor radar however results to date indicate some early stage potential that bears watching. Also at Tsumkwe Mount Burgess will further investigate a copper gold anomaly which was recently delineated with soil geochemical sampling.
    
    At the Kihabe Nxuu Project in Botswana, the company is continuing with soil geochemical sampling over several prospective areas. Kihabe Nxuu is a zinc lead gold project, with recent assays from close-spaced geochemical soil sampling delineated a copper cobalt anomaly and three zinc and lead anomalies all with potential to increase the company’s resource base.
    
    The current potential open cut resource base at Kihabe Nxuu of 25.3 million tonnes at 3% zinc metal equivalent, containing some 750,000 tonnes of zinc equivalent metal which is subject to a Scoping Study for a 10 year mine life at 2.5 million tonnes per annum throughput.
    
    (Sourced from www.proactiveinvestors.com.au)
    
14. voda 22 juni 2011 20:34

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    Heavy Rare Earths price doubles in two weeks
    
    After an assessment conducted by Industrial Minerals, results have shown that the price of heavy rare earth elements has more than doubled over the last two weeks. Dysprosium oxide, used in magnets, lasers and nuclear reactors, has increased from a level of USD 700 per kilogram to USD 740 per kilogram to a top level of USD 1470 per kilogram. This amount is double the price level at the beginning of the month. Europium oxide used for its phosphorescent properties found in plasma TVs, smart phones and energy saving light bulbs has increased from USD 1260 per kilogram to USD 1300 per kilogram to a top level of USD 3400 per kilogram a 142% change over the same period.
    
    The cost of heavy rare earths have surged since the beginning of the month as the Chinese government revealed further plans to centralize control over the country’s mining assets. Heavy rare earths, most of which are mined in the southern Chinese province of Jiangxi, have been subject to stricter environmental controls and a government crackdown on widespread illegal mining. Since last year, prices for REE have been continuously increasing, but it is the steady high rate of increase of these price rises that is drawing concern.
    
    Industrial Minerals cites two primary factors that have changed the supply/demand dynamic of this mineral market sector in the past few years. The demand for REE is increasing in applications and China, the world’s main commercially developed REE source of supply, is decreasing exports and increasing its consumption of REE. This combined with a lack of alternative REE supply outside of China coupled with forecast estimates of a projected 48% increase in world REE demand as early as 2015 are the contributing factors to the change in supply and demand.
    
    (Sourced from www.stainless-steel-world.net)
    
15. voda 22 juni 2011 20:36

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    Drilling commences at the Browns Range HREE project
    
    Northern Minerals advise it has commenced drilling at its Browns Range project in northern WA as part of its Heavy Rare Earth Element exploration program.
    
    The program will include 10,000 metres of RC drilling at the Area 5 / Area 5 North and the Gambit / Wolverine targets. Drilling commenced today and initial drilling results are expected in early August.
    
    The Company has a significant exploration campaign planned at both its Brown Range and John Galt projects for 2011 focusing on high priority, HREE targets. This follows positive results from soil sampling and preliminary metallurgical testing programs, which have identified xenotime mineralization with a dominance of HREE.
    
    Mr George Bauk Managing Director said “We are excited about the drilling program now underway at Browns Range, particularly with prices of key Heavy Rare Earth Elements continuing to rise sharply during the past month.”
    
    The HREE suite includes Dysprosium, which has doubled in price during the past month, currently sitting at USD 1,470 per kilogram up from USD 700 per kilogram a month ago. The rise in prices appears to have been driven by a supply shortage outside of China and the fact that China has declared it has approximately 12 years of known resources remaining.
    
    Mr Bauk said “The mineralization at Browns Range and John Galt is predominantly HREE, accounting for up to 89% of the distribution of Rare Earths in our sampling to date and approximately 10% of these results are Dysprosium.”
    
    Reconnaissance rock chip sampling recently completed in the southern part of the Browns Range project area, has identified two new potential drill target areas located approximately 6 kilometers south of Area 5. Samples of quartz veined arkose returned assays up to 5.1% TREO.
    
    Early exploration on the new target areas has commenced with geological mapping, further rock chip sampling and soil sampling underway, ahead of a proposed Phase 2 drilling program.
    
    (Sourced from www.stainless-steel-world.net)
    
    
16. voda 23 juni 2011 19:57

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    Zeldzame bubbel
    Door Willem Middelkoop op 23 jun 2011 om 10:00 | Views: 2.113 | Categorie: Overig | Onderwerpen: China, rare earth
    
    De prijzen van zeldzame aardmetalen (REE) blijven maar stijgen. Waar we vorig jaar goed hebben kunnen profiteren van de sterk gestegen prijzen van REE’s voor de export (dat wil zeggen vanuit China naar de rest van de wereld – dit zijn de zogenaamde FOB-prijzen), zijn het dit jaar vooral de prijzen van REE voor binnenlands Chinees gebruik (China domestic) die een sterke stijging door maken.
    
    FOB prijsstijgingen
    
    Heavy Rare Earths
    Maar ook de FOB-prijzen blijven op een sterk opwaarts pad. Zoals te zien is in bovenstaande grafiek geldt vooral een versnelling over de afgelopen twee maanden voor de zogenaamde Heavy Rare Earths (HREE). Dit zijn de duurdere, schaarsere REE’s, belangrijke metalen die zelfs voor China niet in overvloed voorhanden zijn.
    
    Tijdens de sterke stijgingen van FOB prijzen vorig jaar, zijn de binnenlandse prijzen, die sowieso veel lager waren dan de buitenlandse prijzen, nagenoeg vlak gebleven. Dit beeld is de laatste paar maanden sterk gewijzigd. Nu zijn het vooral de prijzen van REE’s in China zelf die extreme stijgingen ondergaan, vooral over de afgelopen maand.
    
    Zo is de binnenlandse prijs voor gadolinium ver-tienvoudigd sinds het begin van het jaar, terwijl de FOB prijs van gadolinium ‘slechts’ is vervijfvoudigd. Vanwaar deze extreme stijgingen? En waarom nu vooral de Chinese binnenlandse prijzen? REE’s zijn essentiële bestanddelen voor een groot aantal high-tech en green-tech toepassingen, en er is sprake van aanzienlijke tekorten.
    
    Tekorten
    Hoewel China circa 95% van deze REE produceert en ongeveer een derde hiervan exporteert, voorziet men dat over enkele jaren alle Chinese productie in China zal blijven, en dat er voor de HREE’s zelfs tekorten zullen ontstaan. China is daarom nu aan de gang om de sector intern te herstructureren zodat men in de toekomst de interne vraag en aanbod beter inzichtelijk heeft, en de sector beter kan plannen.
    
    De maatregelen die China heeft genomen zijn niet gering. Ten eerste zijn de exportquota vorig jaar verlaagd, hetgeen ervoor gezorgd heeft dat er minder REE’s beschikbaar kwamen voor de exportmarkt, waardoor vorig jaar de FOB prijzen explodeerden.
    
    China domestic prijsstijgingen
    
    Productieplafond
    Sinds kort is er echter door China ook een productieplafond ingesteld, worden illegale operaties (die zeer vervuilend zijn) stopgezet, wordt de smokkel van REE aan banden gelegd, en is men bezig een REE conglomeraat op te zetten dat de bewerking van REE moet centraliseren. Dit conglomeraat wordt ook verantwoordelijk voor een enkelvoudig intern prijssysteem dat door de Chinese overheid wordt afgedwongen. Deze maatregelen zorgen voor zeer veel speculatie in China.
    
    Er zijn vele nieuwe kopers op de markt gekomen die enkel op basis van speculatie handelen. Deze hebben de traditionele kopers verdrongen, die de grondstofprijzen veel te hoog vinden en daarom voorlopig maar aan de zijlijn blijven. Verkopers zien de prijzen steeds verder stijgen, en houden de grondstoffen langer vast in de verwachting dat ze er op een later moment meer aan verdienen. Dit alles is voeding voor verdere prijsstijging.
    
    Wanneer is het einde in zicht? Het is overduidelijk dat de REE prijzen in een duidelijke bubble-fase zijn beland, nu speculanten de markt aan het veroveren zijn. Echter, feit blijft dat er zeker tot 2015 grote tekorten zullen blijven in de meeste REE’s, en dat er zelfs na 2015 grotere tekorten zullen blijven bestaan in de HREE’s. Er is nog genoeg ruimte voor beleggers om aan deze sector te verdienen.
    
    REE investeringen maken inmiddels ruim 10% van de portfolio van het Gold&Discovery Fonds uit maar waren in 2010 goed voor ruim 20% van de winst.
    
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Willem Middelkoop is investeerder en schrijver/journalist. Hij één van de initiatiefnemers van het in 2008 opgerichte Gold & Discovery Fund en van een webshop voor de aankoop van goud en zilver, www.amsterdamgold.com. Middelkoop belegt voor zijn eigen pensioenopbouw in onroerend goed, edelmetalen, exploratiebedrijven en beleggingsfondsen en is ook long goud, en genoemde aandelen, maar neemt geen posities in op de Amsterdamse beurs. De informatie in deze column is niet bedoeld als professioneel beleggingsadvies, of als aanbeveling tot het doen van bepaalde beleggingen.
    
    Zie link voor grafieken:
    
    www.iex.nl/Column/64516/Zeldzame-bubb...
17. voda 23 juni 2011 19:58

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    Mmmmm,
    
    China rare earth exports down 22pct YoY in May
    
    China Knowledge quoted according to figures from the General Administration of Customs, the Economic Information & Agency said the export volume of rare earth ore, metals and mixtures products in China the world biggest rare earth supplier fell 21.6%YoY to 51.3 million metric tons in May this year.
    
    The figure reflected an 11% decline from April.
    
    In terms of value, China exported USD 452.3 million worth of rare earth last month. In the first five months of this year, the country rare earth exports dropped 8.8%YoY to 23,742 million tonnes while its export value of rare earths surged 242.5%YoY to USD 1.6 billion.
    
    The decrease in the export volume of rare earths reflected the Chinese government success in control over trade in the strategic ores and compounds.
    
    (Sourced from China Knowledge)
    
18. voda 23 juni 2011 20:01

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    China overcapacity of electrolytic aluminum to depress price hike
    
    According to statistics, China’s electrolytic aluminum capacity was 23 million tons in 2010 and its actual production was 15.6 million tons. At the same time, the rate of equipment utilization was only at 70%.
    
    However, Chinese aluminum smelters’ sales margin was only at 3.59% during January to November 2010 which was lower than that of other industries.
    
    Recently, the Chinese electrolytic aluminum industry has still aimed to build new smelters in China despite of the oversupply and low demand from downstream.
    
    Consequently, industry sources pointed out that the oversupply would depress the price hike for electrolytic aluminum.
    
    It’s known that the 1108 contracts of electrolytic aluminum at Shanghai Futures Exchanges were at CNY 16, 935 per tonne on last Friday down by 0.27%.
    
    (Sourced from www.yieh.com)
    
19. voda 24 juni 2011 17:11

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    Geely head has major investment in lithium
    
    China Daily reported that in a move insiders see as groundwork for new energy vehicles and batteries, the chairman and largest shareholder of automaker Geely has personally invested in the Australian lithium compound company Galaxy Resources.
    
    Mr Li Shufu Geely Chairman wholly owned Investment Company Strong Target International has purchased AUD 30 million in Galaxy bonds while Fengli Group Co a steel company in Geely home province of Zhejiang, subscribed to the remainder of the USD 69 million bond issuance.
    
    According to the noted Chinese-language financial journal 21st Century Business Herald, Mr Anthony Tse Galaxy Executive Director said the resource company major clients are 13 Chinese enterprises that have a total annual demand for 12,000 tons of lithium, a metal crucial in the manufacturing of high tech batteries.
    
    The publication said the amount of lithium used in auto batteries globally is expected to reach 140,000 tons in 2015, six times the level of 2010. Many experts believe the bottleneck to acceptance and mass production of new energy vehicles is light and powerful enough lithium batteries. It was not the first acquisition by Geely that could be part of a strategic development plan.
    
    After the privately owned carmaker acquired Volvo for USD 1.8 billion in August last year, Mr Li said that the deal was worthwhile because Volvo has invested deeply in developing new energy technologies. He said new energy vehicles are the future and will be the major battlefield for competition among automakers.
    
    Mr Zhao Fuquan Geely Vice Chairman said in an interview last year with 163.com that carmakers should now make strategic preparations to develop new energy technologies. He added that a company should not solely rely on government incentives but should have its own clear plans for developing new energy vehicles.
    
    Geely showed its latest generation electric cars at the 2011 Shanghai auto show in April.
    
    (Sourced from China Daily)
    
20. voda 24 juni 2011 17:18

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    Chinese share of global rare earth production to drop
    
    Reuters reported that China's global share of rare earth output will drop steeply in the next 2 years as other countries ramp up production to compensate for domestic curbs on mining the minerals.
    
    Mr Wang Caifeng former Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official said that the country's rare earth output would drop from 95% of global output to 60% reversing global reliance on China.
    
    Mr Wang was now in charge of establishing China's rare earths industry association to help set prices and regulate industry consolidation. He said that the association has completed preparation and is awaiting approval from the MIIT. Hopefully it will be launched within two months.
    
    Insisting that its high output levels are unsustainable and damaging to the environment, the central government slashed rare earth export quotas by 35% for the H1 of 2011, building on previous quota cuts. The decision has choked off global supplies and driven prices up to record levels.
    
    The recent move to cut export quotas and restrict production of 17 elements used in key industries such as defence and renewable energy has angered many trading partners especially Japan, where many manufacturers rely on Chinese rare earths.
    
    Mr Wang said that production quotas this year were expected to grow by 5% over last year, matching a government statement in March. China would cap total output of rare earth oxides at 93,800 tonnes in 2011, but illegal rare earth exports totaled as much as 10,000 tonnes last year.
    
    (Sourced from Reuters)