China this week further tightened its grip on the world's rare earth minerals by announcing a ban on exporting all rare earths processing technology. This comes just months after China announced export restrictions on several critical minerals and metals. The 17 rare earth minerals are plentiful throughout the world, but their extraction, processing and refining require looser pollution standards and higher-level technology than the West. The urgent need for rare earths as crucial components of electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronics such as smart phones and defense systems has heightened demand and tightened China's hold on them, with some estimating China's world market share upwards of 90 percent. Meantime, the West continues to struggle to process these minerals due to technical complexities and ravaging ecological concerns.
"The restrictions we are seeing from China right now should be a real wake-up call for those who depend on permanent industrial magnetics," said Bill Klaus, president of AEC Magnetics. "China controls the world's rare earths market and no U.S. or Western company comes close at this time. The West is mining, but it is not yet competitive in extraction and separation. These methods take complex and complicated processes and are hard on the environment, which is ironic since they support 'green' technology. The West is basically in a race to break China's dominance in these areas but is not there yet."
Given the U.S. dependence on China, and with China's tightening of its hold on the market, Klaus strongly suggests that AEC customers who depend on permanent magnets and permanent industrial magnetic equipment consider advancing orders as soon as possible. "I watch the price, availability and quality of permanent magnetics closely and have excellent sources who've I've trusted for decades," he said. "When the restrictions start, the price, availability and quality can be at risk. I encourage customers to lock in the magnets they want, at the current price, availability and quality we can guarantee, while it is still possible." Klaus recommends avoiding any pricing and availability concerns by taking advantage of AEC's blanket order service, whereby you purchase now at today's price, and allow us to release magnets on your schedule. Bulk orders are an excellent option as well, he said, as the price breaks at certain quantities save money.
AEC Magnetics offers industrial magnets--permanent magnets, magnetic tools, electromagnets, power supplies and custom solutions for automated manufacturing. It has been in business for 62 years. Its president, Bill Klaus, has been manufacturing magnetic solutions at AEC for more than 40 years. Call Bill at (800) 635-3954, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . If it's' magnetic...it's AEC!