China strategic mineral exports to US rise as Japan shipments plunge

China’s exports of strategic minerals to the United States and Japan diverged in July, with US-bound shipments showing signs of improvement while supplies of key materials to Japan tumbled. US-bound shipments of rare earth permanent magnets rose 4.6 per cent year on year and 32.6 per cent month on month in July, while exports of other rare earth oxides jumped 56.8 per cent from a year earlier, according to Chinese customs data. Some smaller categories surged from low bases, including industrial.