Cobalt

China has increased its 2011 rare earth export quota, says an article by International Business Times: China has set its total output of rare earth at 93,800 tonnes this year, 4,600 tonnes more or 5.16 percent higher compared to last year's, the Ministry of Land and Resources said this week.

China will increase a tax on rare earths from April 1, the official Xinhua News Agency said on Thursday. The State Administration of Taxation website carried a local media report, saying the resource tax would be raised to 30-60 yuan per tonne, depending on the type of rare earth mineral, a substantial increase from the current level of 0.5-3 yuan per tonne.

China's exports of rare earth metals burst through the $100,000-per-tonne mark for the first time in February, up almost ninefold from a year before, while the volume of trade stayed far below historical averages. China's squeeze on rare earths, which are used in a wide range of hardware including precision-guided weapons, hybrid car batteries and iPads, has forced prices up dramatically since July last year, when each tonne fetched a mere $14,405 on average.

CB Online says Quantum Rare Earth Developments has reported discovering a large niobium deposit in southeast Nebraska. The underground carbonatite formation has potential to become one of the world's largest sources of niobium, used in high-production steel and superalloys. Watch the interview with CEO Peter Dickie on BNN.

Formation Metals Inc. (TSX:FCO) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has completed the equity financing (the “Financing”) announced on January 27, […]

Pancontinental Uranium Corporation (TSX VENTURE:PUC) (“Pancon”) and its joint venture partner Crossland Uranium Mines Limited (“Crossland”) (ASX:CUX) are pleased to provide the […]

New York Times says that Malaysia is placing a big bet on rare earth metals: As many as 2,500 construction workers will […]

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSX-V:UCU) announced the first NI 43-101 compliant independent resource estimate for the company's 100%-owned Bokan Mountain rare earth element (REE) project in southeastern Alaska. The resource estimate was prepared by Aurora Geosciences Ltd. ("Aurora") of Yellowknife, NWT which recommends that the deposit merits additional drilling, metallurgical research and economic investigation.

The head of China's largest metals trader has called for government efforts to consolidate the rare earth industry and nurture competitive domestic firms in the sector. Zhou Zhongshu, president of China Minmetals, said that the difficulties facing China's rare earth industry mainly come from the fact that local authorities, owners of rare earth mines, tend to issue mining licenses to local firms.