Rare earth, known as "industrial vitamin" and "mother of new materials", is widely used in new energy, new materials, energy conservation and environmental protection, aerospace, and electronic information. It is an indispensable element in modern industry. China is rich in rare earth resources, and Sichuan is the second largest province with proven reserves of rare earth in the country.

Recently, Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department, Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Science &Technology Department of Sichuan Province, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Sichuan Province, and the Department of Natural Resources of Sichuan Province jointly released the Implementation Guidelines on Promoting the High-quality Development of Sichuan's Rare Earth Industry. According to the guidelines, by 2027, Sichuan will achieve innovative development of the rare earth industry, which will enter the mid-range and high-end market, build an important rare earth industry base in China and a province with core competitiveness in the rare earth industry, and secure an overall industrial size of 100 billion yuan.

What is the current situation of rare earth industry in Sichuan? How can the advantages of abundant natural resources be transformed into those of high-quality development? The guidelines provide a roadmap for development.

Optimize industrial layout from "roots" to "branches"

In Mianning and Dechang, there is the largest independent rare earth ore of cerium fluoride type in China, which features concentrated distribution, easy mining, easy beneficiation and easy refining.

In recent years, Sichuan's rare earth industry has formed a whole industrial chain layout from resource development, smelting and separation to material processing and application. If the whole rare earth industry in Sichuan is compared to a big tree, the mines in Liangshan are roots, and the deep processing enterprises in Chengdu, Mianyang and Leshan are branches.

Sichuan's rare earth industry has achieved certain results, but there are also shortcomings such as decentralized industrial development, slow industrial structure transformation and upgrading, and low added value of products.

The guidelines define the development pattern of Sichuan's rare earth industry in the future: Under the framework of national large groups, Sichuan will give full play to the role of advantageous enterprises in the province, accelerate the integration of rare earth mines and smelting and separation enterprises, focus on the development of rare earth deep processing and high-end application industries, and realize the pattern of rational development, orderly production, efficient utilization and intensive development of rare earth resources.

In terms of further standardizing the development of rare earth resources, work will be done to strengthen the guiding role of ecological environment zoning control in optimizing industrial layout, accelerate the integrated development of rare earth mines in Mianning and Dechang, promote the technical transformation and upgrading of qualified rare earth mines, and enhance the resource guarantee capacity.

In terms of the layout of rare earth smelting and separation and metal manufacturing, work will be done to promote the centralized layout of rare earth smelting and separation capacity in Leshan and Liangshan, facilitate the concentration of deep processing enterprises such as rare earth metals, alloys and metal products in areas rich in hydropower resources, and build a base for smelting and separation of imported rare earth resources and recycling and comprehensive utilization of rare earth waste.

In terms of the layout of rare earth deep processing and application industries, Chengdu, Mianyang, Leshan, Liangshan, Meishan, and Ya'an are encouraged to vigorously develop rare earth deep processing and application industries, focusing on the development of ultra-high purity rare earth metals and their compounds, functional crystals, high-performance magnetic materials, high-performance luminescent materials, energy storage materials, polishing materials, catalytic materials, light alloy materials, and rare earth permanent magnet electric drive industries.

Focusing on deep processing and application industries, and rationally developing and efficiently utilizing resources

In recent years, China has further integrated the rare earth industry, and the development of rare earth resources has gradually formed the pattern of two leading players in the southern and northern regions respectively: China Rare Earth Group and China Northern Rare Earth (Group). China Rare Earth Group will integrate Sichuan's rare earth resources.

"Under the framework of national large groups, Sichuan will give full play to the role of advantageous enterprises in the province and accelerate the integration of rare earth mines and smelting and separation enterprises." An official of Sichuan Provincial Economic and Information Department said that based on the development of resources in the province, Sichuan will focus on the deep processing and application industries of rare earth, and promote the whole industry to enter the mid-range and high-end market, so as to realize the pattern of rational development, orderly production, efficient utilization and intensive development of rare earth resources.

Specifically, the guidelines propose six key tasks, including vigorously developing rare earth deep processing and application industries, increasing the introduction of domestic and foreign advantageous enterprises, reinforcing technological innovation and transformation, strengthening the construction of rare earth parks, standardizing the production and operation order of rare earth, and boosting the green upgrading of the rare earth industry.

Among the six key tasks, platform development has become an important pillar for the high-quality development of the industry. Focusing on scientific research and innovation platforms, the guidelines propose to leverage the role of scientific research institutes in Sichuan and promote the construction of Southwest China Institute of Rare Earth Materials. Focusing on industrial development platforms, the guidelines explicitly state that support will be given to the upgrading of Sichuan Mianning Rare Earth Economic Development Zone and the establishment of a number of industrial demonstration bases for new industrialization, characteristic bases and demonstration parks.

This move is of great significance, according to Li Linsen, Deputy Director of the Committee of Geology, Mine and Beneficiation, the Chinese Society of Rare Earths. "The utilization of rare earth elements in Sichuan is unbalanced, and rare earth products with high added value account for a small proportion." Li Linsen said that by building and upgrading scientific and technological innovation and industrial platforms, efforts should be made to push for the application of rare earth in automobile drive motors, energy-saving motors, nickel-hydrogen batteries, energy-saving lamps, and optical glass, which will further improve the efficiency of industrial value transformation.