No more cheap rare earths

[Sparty]

No more cheap rare earths
China has started charging a tax on rare earth minerals, ending a "cheap rare earth era", according to a statement issued jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation.


The tax rate was set at 60 yuan ($9) per ton on light rare earths and $30 per ton on medium and heavy rare earths.


The resource tax, which took effect on Friday, is one in a series of measures unveiled this year by Chinese authorities to upgrade the rare earth industry. China's Ministry of Environmental Protection announced in March that tougher rules on emission limits for producing rare earths will take effect on Oct 1.
Xinjiang