China, the world’s top producer of rare earth elements, last year also emerged as the biggest importer of the group of minerals used in everything from ceramics to consumer electronics, analysts said on Wednesday.
China has for years been the world’s biggest rare earths exporter, raising shipments overseas by 4% year-on-year to more than 53 000 t in 2018, and its emergence as the top importer as well is a sudden and surprising development.