[Ferro-Alloys.com] China's rare earth exports are expected to total around 10,000 tons in 2012, the lowest level in 10 years, primarily due to falling demand in Japan, the largest export market, industry sources said Wednesday.

The raw material price index in the PPI report recovered by 0.3% mom in September, the first increase after four consecutive monthly declines between May and August.

China's Ministry of Commerce last week allowed 2.7% more volume of rare earth element some 30,996 tonnes to leave the country this year than it did in 2011.

[ferro-alloys.com] Jieyuan is one example of environmental damage in Ganzhou, a main producer of rare earth in China. Statistics show the forest cover of seven counties in the city has been destroyed

China plans to cut the number of rare-earth mining licenses and raise market access standard for miners, as part of efforts to promote industry consolidation and reduce environmental damage.

At least eight major producers of rare earths based in China's Guangdong Province have formed an alliance, the Guangdong Rare Earth Industry Group, in compliance to the federal government's pronouncement to start building a rare earths reserves.

Modern technology depends on rare earth metals, but their extraction is inflicting an all-too-common cost on shared resources. Rare earth metals, known as "industrial gold,"

As China continues its grip on the rare earth elements space, a recent deal from a mining major looks like the start of consolidation in an industry that provides much-needed resources to a host of high-tech devices.