Rare Earth News

1.Ministry of Commerce Responds to Rare Earth Export Controls: Some General License Applications Approved
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 18 – Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong stated on December 18 that since the implementation of export controls on rare earth-related items, Chinese authorities have conducted policy briefings for domestic exporters. With accumulated experience in export and compliance, some Chinese exporters have initially met the basic requirements for applying for general licenses. "To my knowledge, we have received and approved some general license applications submitted by Chinese exporters," He said. At the Ministry of Commerce’s regular press conference that day, a reporter asked whether EU officials’ claim that China has started issuing longer-term rare earth export licenses to European companies could be confirmed. He Yadong responded as above. (Source: People’s Daily Online)

2.Northern Rare Earth Holds November 2025 Business Activity Analysis Meeting
On December 17, Northern Rare Earth held its November 2025 business activity analysis meeting. Attendees included Qu Yedong, Deputy Party Secretary and General Manager of Northern Rare Earth; some members of the company’s leadership team; and heads of various departments and subsidiary companies. The meeting reported on the economic performance of Northern Rare Earth and its subsidiaries in November and discussed arrangements for key tasks in the next phase. Company leaders and relevant departments provided specific requirements for subsidiaries to further strengthen operational management. The meeting noted that Northern Rare Earth’s overall production and operations in November were satisfactory, laying the foundation for achieving the annual production and operation targets. All units and departments were urged to further unify their thinking, build consensus, solidly advance year-end key tasks, and ensure the high-quality completion of all operational indicators. The meeting emphasized the need to firmly establish risk awareness, improve the capital risk prevention and control mechanism, and comprehensively strengthen capital security management; to implement comprehensive and refined cost management, optimizing production processes around key indicators such as technology and energy consumption; to build a strong safety production defense line, strictly implement safety measures for "freezing, cold, and fire prevention," and ensure winter production safety; to enhance confidentiality awareness, strengthen daily confidentiality supervision, and strictly implement confidentiality responsibilities; and to conduct comprehensive summaries and analyses of 2025 work, plan ahead for key tasks in 2026, ensure a successful conclusion of the "14th Five-Year Plan," and lay a solid foundation for a good start to the "15th Five-Year Plan." (Source: Northern Rare Earth)

3.Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Project Selected for MIIT’s 2025 "Unveiling the List and Assigning the Lead" Project List for Intelligent Manufacturing System Solutions
Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the list of projects for the 2025 "Unveiling the List and Assigning the Lead" initiative for intelligent manufacturing system solutions. The "Rare Earth Permanent Magnet New Material Process Intelligent Design and Optimization Control Solution," jointly developed by Baotou Shangcheng Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. and Baotou Tianhe Magnetic Materials Technology Co., Ltd., was successfully included in the list. Since the launch of this "Unveiling the List and Assigning the Lead" work in 2023, this project is the only one from the entire autonomous region to be selected. The "Rare Earth Permanent Magnet New Material Process Intelligent Design and Optimization Control Solution" successfully establishes a full-process intelligent system from microscopic formula design to macroscopic process control. By integrating multi-scale calculations, mechanism modeling, and data-driven technologies, it achieves the reverse intelligent generation of material formulas and precise closed-loop control of key smelting processes, breaking through the traditional trial-and-error development model reliant on experience. (Source: Baotou Rare Earth High-Tech Industrial Development Zone)

4.LS C&S to Produce Rare Earth Magnets in the United States
Korean cable and electrical equipment manufacturer LS Cable & System Ltd. (LS) announced plans to build a rare earth permanent magnet production facility in the United States, aiming to meet the growing demand for drive motors in electric vehicles and automotive electronics. LS also anticipates strong growth in demand for rare earth magnets from industries such as electronics, aerospace, defense, robotics, wind turbines, as well as an increasing number of urban air mobility and drone manufacturers. This year, escalating trade tensions between the United States and China prompted the company’s decision to produce magnets in the U.S. China is currently the world's largest producer of rare earth magnets. LS estimates that "China currently controls about 85% of global (rare earth magnet) production, while there are few producers in the United States, making supply chain diversification an urgent priority." (Source: Industry Frontiers)

5.Jiangxi Province’s "15th Five-Year Plan" Recommendations: Support Ganzhou City’s Rare Earth New Materials and Applications Cluster in Building a Globally Influential Rare Earth New Materials Industry Agglomeration Area
Recently, the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China released recommendations for formulating the province’s 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development. The recommendations propose advancing the cluster-based development of industrial chains. Efforts will be made to deeply implement actions to enhance and upgrade industrial clusters, accelerate the construction of a tiered industrial cluster development pattern characterized by factor agglomeration, deepened division of labor, cross-regional cooperation, and integrated development. Support will be provided for Ganzhou City’s rare earth new materials and applications cluster to build a globally influential rare earth new materials industry agglomeration area; for the Yingtan, Shangrao, Fuzhou, and Jingdezhen copper-based new materials cluster to build a globally leading advanced copper-based new materials production and application hub; and for Nanchang and Jingdezhen to build important development and production bases for the Yangtze River Delta large aircraft cluster (derivative aircraft). Support will also be provided for Yichun, Shangrao, Xinyu, Ganzhou, and other areas to build new energy industry clusters, and for the construction of the Changsha-Jiujiang-Ganzhou electronic information industry belt. Efforts will be deepened to implement the industrial chain leader system, promote interactive and integrated development between key industrial clusters and industrial chains, and enhance the level of industrial collaboration within the province. The construction of high-quality enterprise groups through integrated efforts to "expand large enterprises, nurture small and medium-sized enterprises, and strengthen support" will be advanced, with a focus on developing specialized, refined, and innovative enterprises to promote integrated development between large, medium, and small enterprises. (Source: Industry Frontiers)