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[Iain.Macdonald]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/21/china_rare_earth_supply_strike/

"China's largest rare-earth producer, the state-owned Baotou Iron and Steel Group, is stopping rare earth shipments for a month in an attempt to drive up prices."

"The WSJ reports that "Chinese prices of neodymium oxide have fallen 35 per cent since June".

Hmm.........

[John Roberts {JR}]

In other parts of the world still influenced by free market forces, the high prices have stimulated investment in developing new resources, and in some cases reopening old mines abandoned because Chinese RE metals were so cheap (and RE mining is dirty). The Chinese economy rate of growth is cooling, while personal consumption in China is slowly turning up so a little conflicted.

Long term this (RE prices) will reach some equilibrium, but in the short term China will continue to have undue influence on several commodity prices. Hoarding commodities that are in high demand is not a new concept to the Chinese, and not isolated to RE elements.

JR

[Tom Young]

In other parts of the world still influenced by free market forces, the high prices have stimulated investment in developing new resources, and in some cases reopening old mines abandoned because Chinese RE metals were so cheap (and RE mining is dirty). The Chinese economy rate of growth is cooling, while personal consumption in China is slowly turning up so a little conflicted.

Long term this (RE prices) will reach some equilibrium, but in the short term China will continue to have undue influence on several commodity prices. Hoarding commodities that are in high demand is not a new concept to the Chinese, and not isolated to RE elements.

JR

This is important enough to merit a worskhop at the AES convention currently in progress.

http://www.aes.org/events/131/workshops/?ID=2957

And along with its potential impact on (the cost of) pro audio transducers, it will also impact cell phones, earbuds, etc, etc.

[ProSoundWeb Community]