手握“王牌”却打不出去？印度稀土储量全球第三，为何产量上不去？

Core Insights - India's rare earth reserves rank third globally at approximately 6.9 million tons of rare earth oxides (REO), yet its actual production ranks seventh, highlighting a significant gap between resource potential and actual output [1][3]. Group 1: Resource and Production Comparison - India's rare earth reserves account for 6-7% of global totals, but in 2024, the country produced only 2,900 tons, contributing less than 1% to global production [4]. - In contrast, China, the largest producer, achieved a production of 270,000 tons in 2024, which is 93 times that of India [4]. Group 2: Challenges in the Industry - The core issues facing India's rare earth sector are not due to a lack of resources but stem from deficiencies in execution, processing capabilities, and value chain integration [3]. - Mining structure is complex, as most of India's rare earth reserves are found in monazite sands containing radioactive thorium, leading to strict regulatory and environmental challenges [4]. - India's processing capacity is severely limited, with China controlling about 90% of global refining capacity, particularly for heavy rare earth elements, making it difficult for India to convert raw ore into high-value products [4]. - The lack of integration in the value chain means India plays a minimal role in global rare earth trade, with annual production only in the thousands of tons, failing to achieve economies of scale or market influence [4].