2011年1月11日星期二
US Defense Department ‘s rare earth defense impact study
Something to expect: A Defense Department spokeswoman said the department has completed the study but not released yet.
2011年1月10日星期一
Rare earth substitutes?
Both US and China see developing substitutes for rare earth elements as one of the three options of solving this problem, in addition to opening more mines and recycling.
It looks like some companies have already found substitutes. I got the hint from a trader’s diary on the FT website. The trader here recommends Carclo, a producer of precision plastic products, because the company owns “game changing technologies.”
One of the strengths of the company is that it requires no rare earths in “printed electronics” (I need to do further research to know what that is), while its competitors do. The technology will be a game-changer, the report cited experts as saying.
So traders are long on rare earth companies, or companies that do not use rare earth.
The FT story is here:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f58d2870-1a88-11e0-b100-00144feab49a.html#axzz1AeVzsgWQ
And here, investors keep long, long, and long on rare earth stocks: http://seekingalpha.com/article/245657-general-moly-s-volatility-is-your-friend
It looks like some companies have already found substitutes. I got the hint from a trader’s diary on the FT website. The trader here recommends Carclo, a producer of precision plastic products, because the company owns “game changing technologies.”
One of the strengths of the company is that it requires no rare earths in “printed electronics” (I need to do further research to know what that is), while its competitors do. The technology will be a game-changer, the report cited experts as saying.
So traders are long on rare earth companies, or companies that do not use rare earth.
The FT story is here:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/f58d2870-1a88-11e0-b100-00144feab49a.html#axzz1AeVzsgWQ
And here, investors keep long, long, and long on rare earth stocks: http://seekingalpha.com/article/245657-general-moly-s-volatility-is-your-friend
Rare earth issue raised during vice premier's European visit
The rare earth issue was brought up during China's vice premier Li Keqiang's visit in Europe, especially in Germany.
China's position is clear:
1. Its export will be continue to be regulated for environment concerns.
2. It welcomes international cooperation in the development of rare earth minerals.
Media focus has been on the first point. But China's willingness to stabilize the market, to cooperate with other countries to develop rare earth elsewhere, as well as the developing substitutes, has been almost ignored.
The original report is here:
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/7254539.html
China's position is clear:
1. Its export will be continue to be regulated for environment concerns.
2. It welcomes international cooperation in the development of rare earth minerals.
Media focus has been on the first point. But China's willingness to stabilize the market, to cooperate with other countries to develop rare earth elsewhere, as well as the developing substitutes, has been almost ignored.
The original report is here:
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/7254539.html
2011年1月9日星期日
My summary on the rare earth story, with comments from Jim Rogers
The following remarks of Jim Rogers summed up my research on rare earth so far.
The demand surpasses supply now, so prices are up. People are using this opportunity to make money. The frenzy on these elements now is overdone, but not done.
This is the core information in the rare earth story. Others are bubbles, or man-created myths.
Here is what he said:
"Well, China does produce 97% of rare earth. Uranium is not a rare earth, but they do produce a lot of uranium as well. The future of rare earth is great. What is happening is the prices are going through the roof because the Chinese do control the supply, but it is pure simple capitalistic economics now. A lot of other people are opening mines because they can make a lot of money and governments are behind the companies opening new mines. So it’s all going to bring a new supply and eventually the price of rare earth will come down again. But in the mean time until the new mines can come on stream, somebody is going to make a lot of money"
The source is here: http://www.gurufocus.com/news.php?id=118927
The demand surpasses supply now, so prices are up. People are using this opportunity to make money. The frenzy on these elements now is overdone, but not done.
This is the core information in the rare earth story. Others are bubbles, or man-created myths.
Here is what he said:
"Well, China does produce 97% of rare earth. Uranium is not a rare earth, but they do produce a lot of uranium as well. The future of rare earth is great. What is happening is the prices are going through the roof because the Chinese do control the supply, but it is pure simple capitalistic economics now. A lot of other people are opening mines because they can make a lot of money and governments are behind the companies opening new mines. So it’s all going to bring a new supply and eventually the price of rare earth will come down again. But in the mean time until the new mines can come on stream, somebody is going to make a lot of money"
The source is here: http://www.gurufocus.com/news.php?id=118927
Rare earth hits US gasoline producers?
The high cost of rare earth metals is pushing up the cost of gasoline production in the US, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The cost in producing gasoline could be up by a penny a gallon due to the price increase of rare earth metals, the newspaper reported.
Rare earth elements accounts for 4 percent of catalysts used in gasoline making, and the recent price increase of them has added an extra 25 percent to catalyst costs, the paper cited the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association as saying.
Lanthanum and cerium are the elements used in this sector, know as gasoline-making fluid catalytic cracking units, or FCCUs, the report said, citing Lynas Corp Ltd, the Australian rare-earth supplier.
The original story is here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704055204576068270214808518.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
The cost in producing gasoline could be up by a penny a gallon due to the price increase of rare earth metals, the newspaper reported.
Rare earth elements accounts for 4 percent of catalysts used in gasoline making, and the recent price increase of them has added an extra 25 percent to catalyst costs, the paper cited the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association as saying.
Lanthanum and cerium are the elements used in this sector, know as gasoline-making fluid catalytic cracking units, or FCCUs, the report said, citing Lynas Corp Ltd, the Australian rare-earth supplier.
The original story is here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704055204576068270214808518.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
2011年1月6日星期四
Japan and Mongolia in talk with EPA
Japan’s National Strategy Minister Koichiro Genba visited Mongolia this week to talk with economic partnership between the two countries, the Xinhua News Agency quoted the Mongolian Foreign Ministry as saying.
“Mongolia is interested in cooperating with Japan in mining, especially uranium, rare earth elements and technological fields,” the report cited Tsakhia Elbegdorj, Mongolian President, as saying.
The two nations may start the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiation in April. This is going to be the first EPA negotiation for Mongolia, the energy rich Asian country.
The tie between the two nations will bring Japan more access to natural resources. In return, Japan will help Mongolia with its economic development.
The Xinhua report is here:
http://www.mongolianviews.com/2011/01/japans-national-strategy-minister.html
Also bookmark an article on Japan Mongolia love affair:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/IB28Dh01.html
“Mongolia is interested in cooperating with Japan in mining, especially uranium, rare earth elements and technological fields,” the report cited Tsakhia Elbegdorj, Mongolian President, as saying.
The two nations may start the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiation in April. This is going to be the first EPA negotiation for Mongolia, the energy rich Asian country.
The tie between the two nations will bring Japan more access to natural resources. In return, Japan will help Mongolia with its economic development.
The Xinhua report is here:
http://www.mongolianviews.com/2011/01/japans-national-strategy-minister.html
Also bookmark an article on Japan Mongolia love affair:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/IB28Dh01.html
the myth: has the Chinese embargo to Japan ever happened?
A wall street journal piece point out Japan's imports of rare earth from China actually increased in 2010. This is an interesting point, confusing too --- all the media frenzy is based upon the embargo by China amid some territorial disputes. If that did not happen, what is this all about?
The article is here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/01/06/japan-sustains-chinese-rare-earth-imports/
The article is here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/01/06/japan-sustains-chinese-rare-earth-imports/
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