然而，2024年12月，随着国际形势的变化，中国出台了新的稀土出口管制政策，实施了更为严格的出口限制，尤其是禁止向美国出口可用于军事装备的稀 土。其他类型的稀土则需要经过用途申报和许可证审核才能出口。这个政策标志着中国对全球稀土产业链的"管控升级"，旨在保护资源安全并防止稀土被用 于军事装备，尤其是针对美国的军事威胁。 然而，走私稀土不仅扰乱了市场秩序，还直接侵蚀了那些坚持合法经营的美国稀土企业的利益。美国的稀土行业长期面临产能不足和技术壁垒的问题，其稀 土提炼成本远高于中国。尽管如此，这些企业并未迅速扩张产能，而是选择通过限制供应、提高价格来从稀土的稀缺性中获取利润。然而，走私稀土的大量 涌入，直接冲击了它们的市场份额。 这一政策出台后的影响几乎立刻显现。美国市场上，稀土价格暴涨，涨幅超过了230%。这种价格波动引发了不法分子的注意，他们开始通过非法途径走私 稀土。而稀土走私，正是全球产业链中一个隐秘的灰色地带，一旦市场被压缩，走私活动便会剧烈反弹。 走私手段非常隐蔽，常常通过伪装，将稀土藏匿于看似无关的普通货物中。比如，走私者会将稀土藏在瓷砖胶、工业废料等物品中，通过复杂的物流链条运 送，从而避免海关的检 ...

2025年上半年，一场围绕稀土的暗战在美国企业内讧中爆发。 拿到政府补贴的美国稀土企业，自费搜集证据、收买内部人员，把本国企业走私中国稀土的实锤亲手送 到中国监管部门手中，直接掀翻了横跨中美两国的走私网络。 这波操作看似"胳膊肘往外拐"，实则藏着赤裸裸的利益算计。 一、稀土成"战略筹码" 稀土被称为"工业黄金"，小到手机芯片，大到F-35战机、核潜艇，都离不开这种关键材料。 2024年12月，中国正式出台稀土出口管制政策：可用于制造军事装备的关键稀土全面禁止对美出口，其 他稀土也必须申报用途、拿到许可证才能放行。 虽然美国有稀土矿，比如加州的芒廷帕斯矿，但缺乏精炼能力——中国掌控着全球90%的稀土精炼产 能，美国提炼氧化镨钕的成本高达5.8万美元/吨，比中国贵出六成。 过去美国依赖中国低价稀土惯了，禁令一出，美国稀土市场瞬间陷入混乱。 按照正常逻辑，美国本土稀土企业本该趁机扩产，填补供应缺口。 但现实是，这些企业打了另一笔算盘：中国禁令导致美国稀土价格飙升超230%，与其砸钱扩产承担风 险，不如捂货抬价，借着风口赚快钱。 拿了美国政府17亿美元补贴的MP材料公司，产能好几年原地踏步，压根没动过扩产的念头。 美 ...

五个月前，一起震惊全球的稀土走私案浮出水面——近4000吨稀土被秘密运往美国。这些被称为工业黄金的稀有金属，是现代军工和高科技产业不可或缺的 战略资源，从智能手机到战斗机，都离不开它们的加持。 2024年底，中国实施稀土出口管制政策，这本是保护国家资源安全的必要举措，却意外引发了一系列连锁反应。政策实施后短短四个月内，就有大量稀土通 过非法渠道流向美国。令人意外的是，揭发这起走私案的关键力量，竟来自美国本土企业。 这些稀土究竟有多重要？它们被广泛应用于各个领域：智能手机的震动马达、新能源汽车的永磁电机、F-35战机的雷达系统、导弹的制导装置...可以说，稀 土直接决定着这些产品的性能优劣。中国在2024年12月出台的管制政策，重点限制可用于军事领域的关键稀土品种出口，其他品类也需要经过严格审批。 然而高额利润总是让人铤而走险。在政策实施后的四个月里，美国通过非法渠道获得的稀土氧化物就超过3800吨。走私者将稀土伪装成普通货物，如瓷砖 胶、工业废料等，通过复杂的物流网络逃避检查。这背后的原因很简单：管制后美国稀土价格暴涨230%，暴利驱使不法分子冒险。 为遏制走私，中国在2025年5月展开专项整治，不仅打击走私 ...

风水轮流转，西方现在终于尝到，被中国"卡脖子"的滋味了，为了破开"稀土困局"，G7想到了一个办法，但是先得防着中 国一手。 据观察者网报道，不久前，七国集团的技术团队在美国开了个会，重点讨论怎么在中国的稀土管制之下，得到足以让成员 国使用的稀土配额。 不由得西方不着急，全球超过9成产量的稀土加工，都被中国所垄断，而稀土又是现代工业生产，尤其是在国防军工、以 及众多高科技领域里，不可或缺的重要元素，美欧等国都严重依赖进口。 不过，G7这边讨论来讨论去，提出了两个针对中国的方案，一是联手给稀土交易设定价格下限；二是对中国的稀土出口 加征更多关税。 G7的"阳谋"：既要压价又要加税，算盘打得叮当响 2025年6月，G7峰会在加拿大召开，各国领导人秘密签署了一份"稀土独立宣言"，目标是在年底前实现稀土供应链"去中 国化"。为了达成这一目标，他们想出了两个看似矛盾的策略：一是联手给稀土交易设定价格下限，二是对中国稀土出口 加征关税和碳税。 这波操作让不少人看傻了眼——西方不是缺稀土吗？怎么反而要加价买？其实背后藏着更深层的算计。设定价格下限是为 了扶持本土稀土企业，毕竟中国稀土凭借规模效应成本极低，美国MP Mater ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the illegal smuggling of 3,834 tons of antimony oxide to the United States, highlighting the complexities of international trade and the effectiveness of China's export controls on strategic minerals [1][3]. Group 1: Smuggling Incident - 3,834 tons of antimony oxide, not rare earth elements, were secretly transported to the U.S. from Thailand and Mexico, which were previously not major buyers of antimony [3]. - U.S. companies reported illegal smuggling activities, leading to the interception of 300 tons of disguised rare earths, valued at over $80 million, resulting in a significant stock price increase for the reporting company [3][5]. Group 2: U.S. Response and Regulations - The U.S. is accused of double standards, imposing sanctions while simultaneously engaging in smuggling activities [5]. - In response to the smuggling, China has strengthened its laws, increasing penalties for small-scale rare earth smuggling to a maximum of 10 years and severe penalties for larger cases [5][7]. Group 3: China's Export Control Measures - Since 1998, China has implemented strict export controls on rare earths, including quotas and export tax adjustments, making it difficult for other countries to bypass regulations [7]. - China holds 23% of global rare earth reserves but dominates over 90% of the market share, creating a significant competitive advantage [7].

Core Insights - The article highlights the dark side of rare earth gray market trade, particularly focusing on the smuggling of high-purity antimony ingots disguised as ordinary goods, aimed at U.S. military giants like Lockheed Martin [1][3]. Group 1: Smuggling Operations - Nearly 4,000 tons of rare earths have been smuggled through third countries like Thailand and Mexico to the U.S. in just five months, surpassing the total of the past three years [3]. - Antimony ingots were disguised as "iron ore," and neodymium-iron-boron magnetic powder was hidden in tile adhesive, showcasing the ingenuity of smugglers [3]. - A Thai company, "United Industries," shipped 3,366 tons of antimony products to the U.S. in six months, a 27-fold increase compared to the same period last year [3]. Group 2: Profit Margins and Market Dynamics - Prices for rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium have surged by 200%, exceeding $3,000 per kilogram, driving U.S. companies to engage in the black market [4]. - The profit margin for rare earths through third-country transshipment has risen to 55%, with logistics companies in Thailand and Mexico taking commissions of 12% to 15% [4]. Group 3: Regulatory Responses - In May 2025, China intensified efforts to combat rare earth smuggling, implementing advanced detection technologies and stricter penalties under the new Mineral Resources Law [6]. - Following these measures, U.S. imports of rare earths through irregular channels dropped by 67% within two months [6]. Group 4: Impact on Taiwan and U.S. Military - Taiwan's military industry faces severe challenges due to China's export controls on rare earths, with 96% of its rare earth needs previously met by imports from China [7]. - The lack of critical rare earth elements has led to significant production issues for Taiwan's defense capabilities, affecting various military projects [7]. - U.S. military projects, including the F-35 and B-21, are also experiencing production disruptions due to shortages of essential rare earth materials [9]. Group 5: Challenges in Supply Chain Diversification - U.S. attempts to build a rare earth supply chain independent of China have faced significant hurdles, with production costs in Australia being 300% higher due to a lack of extraction technology [11]. - The reliance on China for rare earth processing remains high, with 80% of U.S. mined rare earths needing to be sent to China for purification [11].

Core Viewpoint - The global competition for rare earth resources is intensifying, with China holding a near-monopoly in this sector, while other countries, despite having rich rare earth mineral resources, lack efficient refining technology [1] Group 1: Rare Earth Supply Chain Dynamics - The United States and other countries are increasingly relying on Thailand and Mexico as key transit points to bypass China for rare earth supplies [3] - These countries employ various tactics, including repackaging rare earths to disguise their origin, to facilitate the export of Chinese rare earths to the U.S. [3][5] - The logistics companies involved in this smuggling operation are profiting significantly, with U.S. imports of antimony products from Thailand and Mexico reaching 3,834 tons between December 2024 and April 2025, far exceeding the total from the previous three years [7] Group 2: China's Response and Regulatory Measures - In response to the smuggling and circumvention of export controls, China has implemented unprecedented measures to track rare earths, assigning unique codes to each gram for precise monitoring [11] - Customs authorities in Shenzhen and Hong Kong have been equipped with advanced detection technology to identify disguised rare earth products quickly [11][12] - Following the implementation of these measures, the difficulty for the U.S. to acquire rare earths through illegal channels has increased, leading to a backlog of suspicious containers in Mexican ports and detained rare earth products in Thai warehouses [13] Group 3: Global Implications and Future Outlook - The European Union has recognized the severity of the situation, with the introduction of the Critical Minerals Act aimed at stabilizing supply chains, although European automakers still rely on Chinese rare earth permits due to technological gaps [15] - China has developed a new "dysprosium-free magnet" that is 40% cheaper than traditional materials, potentially setting a new industry standard [17] - The "zero-carbon rare earth" certification system promoted by China is becoming the default standard for global procurement, indicating China's dominant position in the rare earth supply chain [17]

Core Viewpoint - Recent revelations about rare earth smuggling highlight the complexity and secrecy of international rare earth trade, with significant increases in imports from Thailand and Mexico raising suspicions of "label washing" from China to the US [1][3]. Group 1: Smuggling Mechanisms - Chinese agents are reportedly labeling controlled rare earth minerals like gallium and antimony as "iron ore" or "zinc concentrate" to facilitate illegal exports through Mexico and Thailand [3]. - Mexico's geographical proximity to the US and low customs inspection rates make it an ideal smuggling route, while Thailand's busy transshipment ports and regulatory loopholes further enable these activities [5]. - Smugglers can earn commissions of 12%-15% per ton of rare earths transported, significantly higher than standard rates for regular goods [5]. Group 2: Legal and Regulatory Environment - The US has been criticized for allowing companies to exploit legal loopholes, as evidenced by a court ruling that exempted third-country transshipments of rare earths from the Clean Supply Chain Act [5]. - Recent smuggling cases have revealed collusion between Chinese companies and US military contractors, with advanced technologies being used to disguise shipments [7]. Group 3: Price Dynamics and Smuggling Incentives - The price of key rare earth elements has surged by 200% since China implemented export controls, with dysprosium and terbium reaching $3,000 per kilogram, driving smuggling activities [9]. - Smuggling operations are more cost-effective and efficient compared to legal imports, with profit margins reaching 55% due to lower logistics costs and fewer regulatory hurdles [9]. Group 4: Regulatory Responses - Regulatory authorities have initiated measures targeting false declarations and third-country transshipments, with technological upgrades aiding in detection efforts [11]. - The implementation of the new Mineral Resources Law has increased penalties for rare earth smuggling, establishing a national traceability platform for rare earths [11]. Group 5: Impact of Regulatory Measures - Since May, the volume of rare earth imports through non-standard channels in the US has decreased by 67%, indicating a weakening of smuggling networks [12]. - The development of recycling technologies for rare earths is reducing the incentive for smuggling, with costs only 18% of those for new mining [12].