【禁闻】中国暂停稀土生产 引发国际问题
【新唐人2011年10月28日讯】稀土是现代许多科技产品的关键原材料，中国稀土总产量
占世界稀土产量的95%。近几个月，国际市场上稀土价格下跌了约20%。中国稀土产量占
统治地位的两大公司决定暂停生产，意图提高十七种稀土的市场价格，这引起很多国家
感到不满。
中共前领导人邓小平1992年时曾经说�中东有石油，中国有稀土�。自从那时以来，中
国大力开发稀土资源。
不过世界稀土行业颓势已经引发中国大陆南北稀土停产潮。
继10月19号，中国最大的稀土生产商包钢稀土宣布暂停一个月后，10月25号，南方稀土
龙头五矿赣州稀土矿业公司也宣布自20号开始全面停产。这次停产预计维持3到5个月。
对此，英国《金融时报》表示，中共政府整治稀土行业，引起了全球稀土市场的动荡。
《美国之音》中文网26号报导，世界上很多国家因为受制于中国，正在采取措施。日本
丰田和美国通用等汽车公司已经研究如何尽可能少使用稀土元素。而美国、俄罗斯和澳
大利亚都在计画开发新矿。
英国地质调查局负责人布拉德沃斯说，�长期以来，中国采用低成本分离稀土矿石，使
得中国稀土价格不断下降，造成其他国家的稀土企业纷纷倒闭，随着许多高科技产品对
稀土的需求越来越大。�他认为，只要新开发两个新的稀土矿，就能改变依赖于中国的
局面。
《华尔街日报》也报导说，五角大楼新近提交给国会的一份报告表示，美国应开辟中国
以外的稀土供应源。报告显示，五角大楼已开始着手找出哪些美国公司有可能会将稀土
氧化物加工成稀土金属，并研究了如果稀土供应中断会造成哪些风险。
印度新德里政策研究中心教授布拉马．切拉尼也在《金融时报》撰稿指出，中国将稀土
资源的垄断当成一种贸易手段，并阻止解决南中国海争端的多边努力，这已引起了国际
社会的警觉。而中国谋求把水资源作为一种政治武器的做法，令邻国深感忧虑。
中国在2008年已经采取限制稀土产量、以操纵价格的措施。此外，在中国2010年跟日本
陷入领土纠纷时，还曾经停止对日本出口稀土，把稀土作为一种政治外交手段。
耐人寻味的是，日本大约 83%稀土来自中国，但日本并不急于使用，而是将这些足够使
用20 年的资源贮存在海底，作为未来能源战略的规划。
不过，1997―2010年间，中国稀土资源储量占全球总储量的比重已从43％降到30％。按
照目前的开采速度，只能维持15―20年。
而，中国对稀土的控制在国内也遇到巨大的阻力。
据《中国青年报》报导，由于稀土开采涉及到利益，�禁采�会直接面对地方政府的阻
力。很多地区的地方经济已经形成了对稀土生产、特别是对稀土出口的依赖。国家对稀
土产量和出口量的控制，将直接影响地方经济利益，同时还有来自稀土企业的阻力。
据调查，在过去10多年里，中国稀土企业只是出口初级产品，不但利润非常低，开采稀
土所付出的环境成本极为高昂。据介绍，普遍采用的草酸这种池浸工艺，每开采1吨稀
土就要破坏200平方米的地表植被，剥离300平方米的地表土层，产生2000立方米尾矿。
目前开采稀土一吨赚几十万，未来花在环境污染治理上的可能要几千万。
新唐人记者宋风、薛莉综合报导。
****************
The Suspension of Rare Earth Production From China Causes International
Concerns
Rare earth minerals are crucial in manufacturing manymodern technological
products.Currently, China produces 95% of the world'srare earth minerals.In
recent months, the price of rare earthsdropped by around 20%.To raise the
market price, the largest two rare earthproducers in China have announced
the suspension of production, which causeddissatisfaction in many countries.
The former leader of the CCP government, Deng Xiaoping,said in 1992, "China
could produce rare earth minerals, just as the Middle Eastproduces
oil."Following his words, China has since quickly developed itsrare earth
production.
However, the recent rare earth industry recession hascaused many Chinese
producers to halt business.
On Oct 19th, the largest rare earth producer in China,Inner Mongolia Baotou
Steel Rare-Earth (Group),announced it would suspend production for one
month.Following Oct 25th, another rare earth giant in southern
China,Minerals Ganzhou Rare Earth, also announced suspension ofproduction
for 3 to 5 months.
The UK-based newspaper, Financial Times,wrote an article stating thatthe
CCP government's regulation of rare earth production,has caused turbulence
in the global rare earth market.
The VOA Chinese website reported on Oct 26th that manycountries are trying
to countermeasure China's control over rare earth materials.For example,
Toyota and General Motors are carrying outresearch on reduction of rare
earth elements usage as muchas possible, and The United States, Russia and
Australia areplanning to develop alternative rare earth mines.
Andrew Bloodworth, Head of Science Minerals & Waste atBritish Geological
Survey stated, "For a long time, Chinesecompanies have separated rare earth
elementsfrom minerals at a relatively low cost.This continuously reduces
the price for Chinese rare earthproducers, resulting in the widespread
closure of foreign producers.On the other hand, the market demand is also
increasing,since rare earths are necessary in making more and more
high-tech products."Bloodworth believes that if as few as two new
minesoutside China could be developed,the current dependence on Chineserare
earth producers would be greatly relaxed.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that the Pentagonrecently submitted a
report to Congress suggesting thatthe United States should develop rare
earth sourcesoutside China.The report reveals that the Pentagon has already
begun toresearch companies which could possibly separate rare earth
elements from theiroxides.Studies are underway regarding the possible risk
of suspensionfrom rare earths sources.
Brahma Chellaney, Professor of New Delhi-based Centre forPolicy Research,
wrote in Financial Times that China regardsits monopoly on rare earth
materials as a trade weapon,which has played an important role in
inhibiting any solution to South China Seadisputes despite multilateral
efforts.Similarly, the CCP government also tries to use waterresources as a
political weapon.Such behavior patterns have worried its neighbors and
drawnthe awareness of the international society.
In 2008, the CCP government once restricted its productionof rare earths to
control prices in the global market.It also halted rare earth export to
Japan when territorialconflicts between two countries broke out in
2010.Clearly, the CCP aims to take advantage of its monopoly onrare earths
in politics and foreign affairs.
An intriguing fact is that though 83% of Japan's rare earthsare imported
from China, the government of Japan hasdeposited these resources in the
seabed for future use,rather than deplete supplies immediately.As part of
future natural resources strategy planning, thesedeposits could support
20-year usage in Japan.
However, the reserve ratio of rare earths in China hasdecreased from 43% to
30% between 1997 and 2010.At the current rate, the resources would be
depleted in15 to 20 years.
At the same time, the CCP government also encountersdomestic resistance
when it tries to control the production of rare earthmaterials.
The China Youth Daily reported that since huge benefits areinvolved in the
rare earth industry,the central government will face resistance ofrare
earth production from local governments..Local economics usually greatly
depend onproduction of rare earths, especially the export of these
materials.Therefore national control of rare earth export would causedirect
hazard to local economics and rare earth companies themselves.
According to an investigation, in the past 10 years,the Chinese rare earth
industry is only exporting primary productswith poor profits due to very
high environmental costs.For example, under the widely used techniques in
Chinawhich use oxalic acid to erode the earth, 200-square-meter vegetation
would bedestroyed,a 300-square-meter soil layer would be stripped,and
2000-cubic-meter tailing materials would be generated to produce only one
tonof rare earth materials.For each dollar of economic benefits, hundreds
of dollarsmay be spent to deal with environmental problems in the future.
NTD reporters Song Feng and Xue Li 2011-10-29
19:27:36http://www.ntdtv.com/xtr/gb/2011/10/29/a609518.html.-【禁闻】中国暂
停稀土生产-引发国际问题.html
没有评论:
发表评论