1. The current development situation of rare earth magnets for the world.
In recent years, the production cost of developed countries is high, but the magnets price of international market kept going down, it is difficult to keep the
magnets production in these developed countries. So the America and European magnets enterprises did the industrial adjustment, which brought great change to international situation of neodymium-iron-boron industry.
Sintered magnets aspect, some America and European large magnets enterprises closed local magnets production, or move the magnets production to China. At present, America rare earth industry already ended from former glory. Only two sintered NdFeB magnets manufacturers exist in Europe now, one is in Germany, the other one is in Finland.
In the June of the year 2003，Hitachi metal became to be the largest NdFeB producing enterprise on global. It changed the name as NEOMAX in April of the year 2004, and stopped the magnets production in USA. NEMOAX、TDK and Neorem built magnets post-processing base in China. Germany VAC established jount venture enterprise in China in the year 2005. Except for Europe and Japan, all other sintered neodymium magnets suppliers are in China.
Since the year 1990, global sintered neodymium magnets yield increased speedly, average growth rate per annum kept around 25%. Enter the 21st century, the rare earth permanent magnets industry stopped in Japan, America and Europe, but it developed supernormally in China, even kept rapid increase status for global rare earth permanent magnet industry. In the year 2005, the global sintered neodymium output is 42300 tons, China output is 33000 tons which take up 78% of the total yield on the world.
Bonded magnets aspect,global production ability is mainly in Japan enterprises
The average annual growth rate of global bonded NdFeB magnets yield was 18%, basically kept stable growth status. In year 2005, although global bonded neo magnets yield went down a little compared with 2004(about 1%), China bonded neodymium magnets yield kept 11% of growth. China bonded NdFeB magnets yield exceeded 40% of global yield, which drove the development of world bonded neodymium magnets industry.
2. The current development situation of rare earth magnet industry for China
Until the year of 1983, there were no more than 10 rare earth permanent magnets produce enterprise in China. With the development of the third generation rare earth permanent magnets - neodymium magnets, mass permanent magnets factories come to the fore . Preliminary statistics show that there are hundreds of rare earth magnets, 4 of them had production ability over 3000 tons, 6 of them had production ability of 1000-3000 tons,of rare earth permanent magnets, 8 of them had production ability of 500-1000 tons rare earth magnets.
Because of the special nature and low cost conditions , ShanXi province is the main rare earth permanent magnets production base. In the year 2004, Shanxi raised investment climax of sintered neodymium magnets, about 30 rare earth magnets producer new added, the number of rough manufacturer is up to 6 so far.
Since 1985,under national authorities and local government’s support and guide, with the joint effort of all workers from nationwide rare-earth magnets industry, China rare earth permanent magnets industry gained huge achievement and development. In the year of 1996, global yield of sintered NdFeB magnets was 6250 tons, China’s yield was 2600 which took up 29% of total yield of the world; in the year 2000, global yield was 13940tons, China yield is 6500 tons which took up 47% of world total yield; in the year 2005, the global rare earth magnets yield was 42300 tons, China yield was 3300 tons which took up 78% of the total yield of the world. Although the price of rare earth raw material double rised in the year 2006, because of the powerful market demands, sintered neodymium magnets yield still kept quite a range increase. China sintered neo magnets yield was up to 39000tons
The global yield of bonded neodymium magnets in 1996 was 1320 tons, China yield then was only 50 tons; In the year 2000, global bonded neodymium magnets yield up to 3150 tons, China’s yield was 620 tons, although only took up 20% of the world total yield, but average annual growth rate reached 60%. Recent years,China bonded NdFeB magnets yield increased rapidly, average annual growth rate exceeded 40% . According to the latest statistics, China bonded NdFeB magnets yield reached 2100 tons in the year 2005, which took up 47% of global total yield.
To protect and fair use the rare-earth mineral resourc，rare-earth industry had on overall rectification. Since the year 2005，rare-earth price kept rising, which cause the short of supply for rare-earth neodymium and praseodymium. Because of the increase of rare-earth permanent magnets motors, especially the hybrid power electric vehicles driving, dosage of sintered NdFeB magnets for motors rapidly increased, which caused pressure on the heavy rare-earth Tb,Dy supply. The big increase of rare-earth raw material price, and appreciation of the RMB caused negative effects to Neodymium-Iron-Boron industry of domestic, especially the manufacturers that produce low end magnets, facing the serious challenge.
