China increased exports of rare earth magnets again in August. Compared with July, shipments rose by more than ten percent to 6,146 tonnes, according to the latest data from Chinese authorities. The largest recipient was Germany, which imports these components for wind turbines as well as electric motors used in cars and mobile devices. The United States followed, receiving less than half the volume shipped to Germany, while significant shipments also went to Vietnam, South Korea, and Mexico.
Exports of rare earth magnets from China.
In May, shipments had temporarily fallen sharply after China introduced export controls for certain rare earths and related products. Because many magnets contain the controlled elements, and there are no separate customs codes for different compositions, approval processes for all rare earth magnets were delayed.
Photo: iStock/Michael Ien Cohen