China Restricts Exports of Rare Earths for 2011

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China cuts deep into Exports of “Rare Earths”

China has cut export guidance for the first half of 2011 by about 35 percent significantly reducing world supplies of the resource critical to digital-age goods such as iPods and plasma TVs.

"The 2011 regulatory constraints of rare earths supply from China, which supplies of 90 percent of rare earths to the world, is a significant restraint in product available for export."

Washington has urged China, which holds a near-monopoly on global production, not to use rare earths exports as a political "weapon" after it restricted flow of the commodities to Japan this year during a territorial row.  Good Luck, Washington, as China will damn well do what is pleases with its minerals just as any country or countries such as OPEC and the US does.

China currently has a market monopoly on accessible and ready to use Rare Earths, but it does not have a monopoly of “Rare Earths."  The United States, Australia and even Greenland have abundant supplies waiting for the price rise to justify their mining.