Rare Metal Trade between Japan and Kazakhstan

Rare Metal Trade between Japan and Kazakhstan

Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) said Friday it had signed a comprehensive agreement with a Kazakhstan state-run mining company over the development of rare metals, including tungsten, in that country.

Rare metals, used in cell phones and lithium-ion batteries, are key materials for Japanese industries.

The memorandum of understanding includes an accord under which both countries will jointly prospect for rare metals in eastern Kazakhstan, and Japanese companies will receive information on undeveloped deposits. JOGMEC's mining rights will be managed by private companies.

JOGMEC signed the agreement with Tau-Ken Samruk National Mining Co.

Kazakhstan is estimated to have more than 10 percent of the world's tungsten prospect and JOGMEC has been conducting geological surveys with the Kazakh government since 2007.

The deal is aimed at lessening the nation's dependence on China to procure such metals and to improve bargaining power in terms of prices and the amount of rare metals to be traded, industry sources said.

China is one of the world's leading suppliers of rare metals and has taken steps to limit exports.

Compared with 2009, it will cut 2010 rare earth mineral exports by 40 percent to meet growing domestic demand.

Japan relies on China for about 85 percent of its tungsten imports, which totaled about 4,000 tons in 2008.

The production of most rare metals is unevenly distributed among countries. China accounts for more than 80 percent of the world's tungsten supply, and virtually all of the rare earth mineral supply. Meanwhile, South Africa accounts for about 80 percent of the world's platinum.

JOGMEC is not alone in its efforts to build a close relationship with Kazakhstan over mineral resources.

Toshiba Corp. has participated in a development project to extract rare metals from uranium mines. These metals are used in the production of superconductive devices.

In September, it will form a joint venture with a Kazakhstan state-run company to globally market rare metals used in nuclear power projects.

The companies' timing coincides with a government policy that Japan should increase its efforts to independently secure rare earth metals to more than 50 percent of its total needs.

Countries flush with natural resources are increasingly engaging in "resource nationalism," in which they manage their own natural resources, such as oil.

Officials knowledgeable about natural resources say it is highly likely such moves, like those taken by China, will become widespread.

If so, the nation's industries will face larger hurdles in their efforts to acquire the resources that will enable them to remain internationally competitive

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Types of Earth Rare Metals

Kinds of Rare Earth Metals

There are three prominent kinds of earth rare metals.

1. Heavy Rare Metals
2. Light Rare Metals
3. Miscellaneous Rare Metals

Above mentioned is a list of types of rare metals that are currently under use on the earth. Scientists are thinking about the further use of this precious invention so we can get the maximum benefit from it.

Earth Rare Metal Group

The rare metal is a group of 17 chemical elements and sometime the scientists wrote it a combination of 16 elements. You can see the figure as given below for your assistance to understand all the elements. The formula is generally known as Rare Earth Oxide by the scientists.

Emerging Hybrid Car Rare Metals

Process of producing Hybrid Cars from Earth Rare Metal

The world is full of earth ornaments and we know that the earth rare metals are one of the precious treasures we have with us. Every region within different continents is popular for at least one rare metal found in earth. Below is a picture of different rare metals on in the earth and we presented the name against each.

Hybrid Car Prius by Toyota Company



The Hybrid Car technology came into exist when California discovered a mine where they found rare earth metals. They thought to bring the pretty thing to their car technology and they finally had an idea of producing hybrid cars from the said rare earth. To discover the rare earth metal, they dug a 55 acre (22.3 hectare) hole in the ground in a desert of US state California.