Highlights
- China’s rare earth industry leaders gathered to discuss technological advancements and collaborative strategies for rare earth metals and alloy development.
- Key companies like China Northern Rare Earth are focusing on innovation, digital intelligence, and expanding applications in electronics, automobiles, and new energy sectors.
- The industry aims to:
- Improve material properties
- Optimize microstructures
- Support technological progress in metal manufacturing
Recently in China the rare earth elements (REE) industry convened on the 2024 China Rare Earth Industry Association Rare Earth Metals and Alloys Branch Annual Meeting and the Rare Earth Application Technology Seminar in Metal Materials. Held November 4, the event was hosted by the Ruixin Company, at the Baotou Hotel, situated in that same city, the largest city by urban population in Inner Mongolia, China
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At the event the following were in attendance:
| Attendee | Organization |
|---|---|
| Wang Xiaotie, Executive Deputy Secretary General | China Rare Earth Industry Association |
| Zhang Zhihong, Secretary General | Rare Earth Metals and Alloys Branch of China Rare Earth Industry Association |
| Li Bing, Secretary General | Inner Mongolia Rare Earth Industry Association |
Also in attendance were executives, scholars, and other industry elites from numerous organizations, from universities and government agencies to companies I include the following:
- Baotou Steel (Group) Company
- China Northern Rare Earth
- Chenguang Rare Earth
- Qiandong Rare Earth
- China Science Changchun Applied Science Experts
- Institute of Science and Technology, the Institute of Rare Earth Research
- Northeastern University
- Shanghai University
Event Summary
Attendees focused on new technologies, applications and trends associated with rare earth metals and alloys, part of what the Chinese media identifies as a collaborative endeavor to “seek balance of rare earth resources in our country.”
The event showcases “collaborative innovation and cooperative development with downstream application industries.”
At the meeting, experts and scholars focused on the development status of the rare earth industry in Inner Mongolia, research progress on the green preparation and application of rare earth metals and their alloy materials, the current application status of rare earths in steel, research on the application of high-abundance lanthanum and cerium rare earths in steel, and the application of rare earths in hot-formed steel. Special reports were given and academic discussions were conducted on topics such as the mechanism of action, rare earth magnesium alloys for automobiles and surface protection.
The application of rare earths in metal materials is of great significance. It can not only significantly improve the strength, toughness, corrosion resistance and other properties of the material, but also optimize the microstructure of the material, thereby enhancing the overall performance and service life of the material.
It can also save precious metal resources and expand the metal industry. The application fields of materials promote technological progress and industrial upgrading and provide strong support for the development of modern industry.
As the “chain master” enterprise of the rare earth industry chain, China Northern Rare Earth has always adhered to the market orientation in recent years and increased the research and development and production of rare earth metals and alloy materials.
Clearly the industry in China is on heightened alert as to looming disruption potentially coming from the West, although this was not explicitly called out.
After years of rapid development, its affiliated Ruixin Company (opens in a new tab) has grown into the largest in the country. Praseodymium and neodymium metal manufacturing enterprises, Gansu Rare Earth (opens in a new tab) has completed and put into operation a 12,000-ton rare earth metal and alloy production line, and Huaxing Rare Earth (opens in a new tab) has expanded its rare earth metal production line with an annual output of 8,000 tons; medium and heavy rare earth metal products have been produced on a large scale, filling the gap in the medium and heavy rare earth industry in northern China and enhancing the company’s presence in the medium and heavy rare earth industry. The right to speak in the field of medium and heavy rare earths will enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of enterprises.
The largest vertically integrated state-backed enterprise involved with REE in China, China Northern Rare Earth focused on national strategic needs and the development of the rare earth industry.
By deepening reform and innovation, optimizing the industrial structure, accelerating the pace of technological innovation, and improving the level of digital intelligence, China Northern Rare discussed the expansion of, and strengthening of the Chinese rare earth metal materials industry.
The concept of the “Model Factory” represented future-state promotion of high-quality development of the rare earth metal materials industry. In parallel, accelerating the widespread application of rare earth metal materials in terminal fields such as electronics, automobiles, and new energy, increase the added value of products, broaden application fields, and promote the extension and upgrading of the rare earth industry chain.
China obviously has a very strong interest in the ongoing promotion of a healthy and sustainable development rare earth industry.
Daniel
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