LYNAS - Faktenthread, Analysen, Querverweise u. Meldungen zum Unternehmen (Seite 47)

[Optimist_]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 46.163.963 von JoJo49 am 06.01.14 13:29:08

Danke JoJo, dir auch ein erfolgreiches, glückliches neues Jahr! Vielen Dank für deine langjährige Treue, Sachlichkeit und Bemühungen.

Schöne Info heute zum Jahresstart.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/quotes/announcement/L…

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Lynas Corporation (ASX:LYC, OTC:LYSDY) provides the following update regarding the Lynas Advanced Material Plant (LAMP) in Malaysia.
Commercial production and sales of REO products increased during the December quarter, reflecting the progressive completion of the previously announced work programs in the cracking and leaching units of the LAMP. Total “ready for sale” production during the quarter was 741 tonnes, on an REO equivalent basis, approximately three times the production of 253 tonnes in the September quarter. An additional 35 tonnes of production is awaiting classification as “ready for sale” production.

A total of 409 tonnes of rare earth product was shipped to customers during the quarter, 87% higher than in the previous quarter. In addition, most of the Cerium and Lanthanum borrowed in 2012 for the pre-seeding of the LAMP was produced and returned by the end of the quarter.

Despite significant rainfall in early December causing flooding which restricted access in and around the Kuantan city area, the Gebeng Industrial Estate, in which the LAMP is situated, was not directly affected by flooding. Notwithstanding the disruption to transport and infrastructure services in the region, LAMP production in December confirmed the improving trend evidenced in November.

For the month, production classified as ready for sale by 31 December was 354 tonnes REO equivalent, with an additional 35 tonnes of production pending classification as ready for sale. Sales to customers were 270 tonnes REO equivalent.

Lynas received the relevant administrative approvals for the Phase 2 LAMP assets in late November, allowing these assets to be operated. At present, the Company has started using some Phase 2 downstream assets, such as product finishing units and tunnel furnaces, to optimise its customer product range. However, a decision to use the additional capacity of 11,000 tonnes per annum will be determined by various factors, primarily market conditions.

Also in December, a Lynas Malaysia employee suffered a fatal heart attack while on site. The Company expresses its deepest sympathies to the family.
More detailed information will be provided in the Company’s December 2013 Quarterly Activities report, which is expected to be released on 31 January 2014.

[JoJo49]

LYC Lynas Corporation Limited
January 2014
6th Operations Update
http://stocknessmonster.com/news-item?S=LYC&E=ASX&N=777054
6 January 2014

OPERATIONS UPDATE

Lynas Corporation (ASX:LYC, OTC:LYSDY) provides the following update regarding the Lynas Advanced
Material Plant (LAMP) in Malaysia.
:::
Google übersetzt: http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=en&tl=de&js=n&prev=_…



http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/24343826
Metallmarkt02. Januar 2014 15:08; Akt: 02.01.2014 15:13 Print
Geheime Depots lassen die Kurse fallen
Immer häufiger halten Anleger Industriemetalle in sogenannten Schattenlagern versteckt. Gelangen die Metalle auf den Markt, kann dies zu einem plötzlichen Preissturz führen.
:::


http://www.stock-world.de/analysen/nc5439661-Rohstoffe_Was_k…
Rohstoffe: Was kommt 2014 auf uns zu?
:::
u.a.: Trendwende bei Seltenen Erden möglich?
:::



http://www.aachener-zeitung.de/news/wirtschaft/seltene-erden…
Seltene Erden: Den Bergbau in die Schublade verlagern

Von: Thorsten Karbach und Jan-Henrik Petermann
Letzte Aktualisierung: 27. Dezember 2013, 17:07 Uhr
:::



@ ein gesundes und erfolgreiches 2014

Grüsse JoJo

[Optimist_]

http://www.nst.com.my/latest/lynas-denies-death-of-3-employe…

Lynas denies death of 3 employees linked to plant ops

28 December 2013| last updated at 06:14PM

KUANTAN: Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) has denied the death of three employees were linked to the operation of the rare earth plant in Gebeng, near here.

Its managing director, Datuk Mashal Ahmad said the death of the three employees were due to failing health and following a road accident.

The first death involved a prospective employee who died of heart failure during the interview process.

"In November, an employee died following a road accident on the way to work while one of our engineers who died earlier this month suffered a heart attack and fell into the retention pond.

"During the incident, the victim was doing his daily routine of taking water samples for testing before falling unconscious from a heart attack," he told reporters after presenting school uniforms to 200 students at Lynas plant.

Mashal said that Lynas would not hesitate to take stern action, including legal action, against any party who spread lies about the plant.

"Their attitude made things difficult for us and the action of this group who continue to spread lies shows their malicious intention.

"Give Lynas a chance to concentrate on the plant's operation rather than entertaining baseless accusations."

He said that accusations by certain quarters about flooding at the plant earlier this month was untrue and sheer nonsense.

This was because the plant was built after taking into account various factors, including flooding and other natural disasters.

"The plant was built after we conducted a study on the flood water level over the last 100 years ago.

After collecting the data, only then we built the plant and the rare earth processing plant.

"Moreover, this plant is about 9 metres from the water source. Thus, we can assure you that floods will not affect its operation," he added. -- BERNAMA

[MdBJuppZupp]

*☆.FROHE.*.WEIHNACHTEN.☆*

.☆.*….Man nehme:
...☆*…….Liebe Gedanken,
.*..*☆…..*…☆…*
;☆
.*..*.…ein Fünkchen Zeit,
…*..☆.....*..☆
.*..*ein kleines Augenzwinkern,
…..*
☆*….*….*……..*
…☆*….*ein nettes Lächeln
… ….*..*...und zum Schluss
…….*..*☆…..*…☆
;…*…☆*
…..* ☆*….*einen lieben Gruß
…☆*….*und
fertig...☆*…
..☆*….ist der Weihnachtsgruß!
...☆*……
.*..*☆…..*…☆…*
;☆ .. .
_____________$___-:¦:-
__ -:¦:-_______$$$
___________$$$$$______-:¦:-
_____$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
_ -:¦:-____$$$$$$$$$$$
__________$$$$$$$___-:¦:-
____ -:¦:-__$$$$_$$$$
________$$$_____$$$___-:¦:-
____________-:¦:-
___-:¦:-

Schöne, …….. -`☆´- *´¨)
…besinnliche, ……
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
…… erholsame …
(¸.•´… (¸.•` -`☆´-
…-`☆´- … Feiertage!
………….. -`☆´-
……-`☆´-
•*´¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨`*•.¸¸.
;*´¨`*•.¸
.¸.•*¨)¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´..¸.•´¸.•*´) ¸.•*¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´)
(¸.•´ (¸.` * ¸.•´¸.•*´¨)
..*
~*……..........und….*….*;…
.* ~*……..*ein glückliches
.........und gesundes neues Jahr
*…..*.....….*2014…*…* wünscht Euch der stille Mitleser Jupp....*

[Schluchtentrader]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 46.087.614 von JoJo49 am 20.12.13 08:33:01

Interview Eric Noyrez
ist auch auf HC zu finden.

Frohe Weihnachten
mfg
Schluchti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2SQ4I…

December 18, 2013 -- Tracy Weslosky, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of InvestorIntel interviews Eric Noyrez, CEO and Managing Director for Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX: LYC | OTCQX: LYSDY) for an update on Lynas and to discuss the recent AGM, production capacity, future demand, Eric's recent purchase of Lynas stock, and how entering 2014, Lynas is positioned to achieve its vision of being the global leader in rare earths for a sustainable future. Lynas has the rare and esteemed distinction of being both an operational rare earths miner and producer. A pioneer in the rare earths space outside of China, Lynas mines rare earths from its Mount Weld Mine in Western Australia (the highest-grade deposit of rare earths on the planet), concentrates it onsite and ships the materials to the state-of-the-art Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), near Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia, where the concentrate is refined into final end-user-ready rare earth products. A titan in the REE space, Lynas has successfully built the world's largest, most advanced and most environmentally friendly rare earths production platform to complement the uniquely rich Mount Weld ore body. As a result, Lynas is able to offer its customers an integrated, sustainable source of rare earths.

Tracy begins with asking Eric about Lynas' recent Annual General Meeting, specifically in regards to the ramping up of REE production at the LAMP, which is expected to be at full Phase 1 capacity by the end of this year.

Eric confirmed this and said that they are now in Phase 1 (operating since 2011 in Western Australia and since 2013 in Malaysia), producing 11,000 tonnes, with the second phase equalling 22,000 tonnes. Market conditions will be the primary determinant as to when full production capacity is utilized. "So we will be optimized at 11,000 tonnes, and should the market improve in regard to off-take and pricing, we will keep up the pace," explained Eric.

Tracy, in commenting that virtually anyone who is following the rare earth space today is following Lynas, asked Eric to give listeners an overview as to where the company is today, specifically focusing on the Mount Weld Project -- the world's richest known REE deposit. Eric stated that Mount Weld is a deposit with 10% to 25% rare earth containing ore, whereas with other deposits such as in Inner Mongolia (China) or California, it is closer to 5% to 10%. In the rest of the world, grade is more along the lines of 1% to 2%. Lynas has more than 25 years of reserves on site at full production capacity and additional resources which could later be extracted.

Mentioning a debate which has taken place at InvestorIntel, Tracy remarked that a lot of people like to characterize Lynas as "a light rare earth producer only". Eric responded: "Yes we are a primarily a light rare earth's producer, which is correct. But we do have 5% heavy rare earths in our ore, so Lynas is probably one of the biggest -- in total terms -- heavy rare earths producers in the world. Inside even the light rare earths, we tend to have more valuable products."

Tracy inquired as to the current demand for light rare earths. Eric stated: "The Lynas project has been a customer-based business model (which means that) the key leaders in the various rare earth elements -- meaning lights and heavies -- have made the way Lynas is set up today. Initially we had a long-term contract set up for Cerium and Lanthanum, which is supposed to be the longest product in the rare earth's cart -- as a way of making sure that the off-takes of Lynas would be secure. Thus, the company's Phase I production (of 11,000 tonnes) is fully secured under contract and we can sell everything we can produce."

Lynas' goal is to support the rare earths market in growing to its full potential. Lynas believes the market will grow to its full potential when prices are sustainable for both customers and suppliers. The company believes prices need to be higher to secure long term supply visibility to customers. For example, NdPr prices are currently supporting most of RE production cost on the basis of expected future growth. Lanthanum, on the other hand and contrary to market perception, is already short as shown by the export figures from China. Consequently, Lynas has recently announced a minimum price for new lanthanum oxide sales contracts of $15 per kilo, reflecting the actual market dynamic.

In closing, Tracy wanted to ask Eric briefly about the recent announcement of his decision to purchase more shares of Lynas. Without hesitation, he remarked, "I bought shares because I believe in the business and I believe in what we are doing. I'd like to get the reward of it -- and not take on the risk. That's the simple reason why I bought shares of Lynas."

[JoJo49]

http://m.miningweekly.com/article/molycorp-completes-commiss…
Molycorp completes commissioning of rare earth cracking plant
By: Henry Lazenby
:::




http://www.goldinvest.de/index.php/verbesserte-kapitalverfue…
Verbesserte Kapitalverfügbarkeit im Bergbausektor positives Zeichen für 2014
Geschrieben von Björn Junker • 19. Dezember 2013
:::
https://news.google.com/news/story?pz=1&cf=all&ned=de&hl=de&…




Beim folgendem Artikel von Björn Junker musste ich schon ein wenig schmunzeln denn wie bei seinen meisten Artikel mit viel bla bla hat er zu wiederholtem Maße bewiesen das er auch von unserem Thema wenig Ahnung hat.
http://www.goldinvest.de/index.php/lynas-corp-profitiert-die…
Lynas Corp. - Profitiert die nordamerikanische Konkurrenz von den Problemen auf LAMP?
Geschrieben von Björn Junker • 18. Dezember 2013
:::



- Apropo Manipulation, wer hätte gedacht dass es so was gibt?!
http://www.welt.de/finanzen/geldanlage/article122938144/Gehe…
15.12.13Kurssturz
Geheimbund soll Goldpreis künstlich niedrig halten
An der Börse ist der Preis des Edelmetalls abgestürzt. Dabei erfreuen sich Münzen und Barren weiter großer Nachfrage. Beobachter wittern daher Manipulation – Indizien dafür gibt es tatsächlich. Von Daniel Eckert
:::


http://www.metal-pages.com/metals/neodymium/metal-prices-new…
Neodym-Metall-Preise, Nachrichten und Informationen
:::
z.B.:
http://www.metal-pages.com/news/story/75970/china-allocates-…
16. Dezember 2013
China vergibt erste Partie der seltenen Erden Exportquoten für das Jahr 2014, Baotou Steel Rare Earth ausgeschlossen
BEIJING (Metall-Pages) 16-Dez-13. Chinas Handelsministerium hat die erste Partie der seltenen Erden Exportquoten angekündigt ...



http://www.fool.com.au/2013/12/20/21st-century-fox-telstra-c…
21st Century Fox, AMP, Telstra Aufstieg als ASX setzt Erholung
Mit Ryan Newman - 20. Dezember 2013
:::



http://seekingalpha.com/article/1903011-weak-prices-have-lyn…
Schwache Preise Haben Lynas Kampf gegen einen Undertow
17. Dezember 2013, 11.54 Uhr | über: LYSDY
:::
http://seekingalpha.com/symbol/lysdy



wünsche @ geruhsame Feiertage und einen guten Rutsch

Grüsse JoJo


Ps.: eine kleine Weihnachtsgeschichte die vielleicht ein wenig zur Kursentwicklung passt.
Wie der Engel auf die Christbaumspitze kam



Es war vor langer Zeit, kurz vor Weihnachten, als der Weihnachtsmann sich auf den Weg zu seiner alljährlichen Reise machen wollte, aber nur auf Probleme stieß.

Vier seiner Elfen feierten krank und die Aushilfs-Elfen kamen mit der Spielzeug-Produktion nicht nach. Der Weihnachtsmann begann schon den Druck zu spüren, den er haben würde, wenn er aus dem Zeitplan geraten sollte. Dann erzählte ihm seine Frau dass ihre Mutter sich zu einem Besuch angekündigt hatte.

Die Schwiegermutter hat dem armen Weihnachtsmann gerade noch gefehlt. Als er nach draußen ging, um die Rentiere aufzuzäumen bemerkte er, dass 3 von ihnen hochschwanger waren und sich zwei weitere aus dem Staub gemacht hatten, der Himmel weiß wohin. Welche Katastrophe!

Dann begann er damit den Schlitten zu beladen, doch eines der Bretter brach und der Spielzeugsack fiel so zu Boden, dass das meiste Spielzeug zerkratzt wurde - Shit!

So frustriert ging der Weihnachtsmann ins Haus, um sich eine Tasse mit heißem Tee und einem Schuss Rum zu machen. Jedoch musste er feststellen dass die Elfen den ganzen Schnaps gesoffen hatten. In seiner Wut glitt ihm auch noch die Tasse aus den Händen und zersprang in tausend kleine Stücke, die sich über den ganzen Küchenboden verteilten.

Jetzt gab`s natürlich Ärger mit seiner Frau. Als er dann auch noch feststellen musste, dass Mäuse seinen Weihnachts-Stollen angeknabbert hatten, wollte er vor Wut fast platzen.

Da klingelte es an der Tür. Er öffnete und da stand ein kleiner Engel mit einem riesigen Christbaum. Der Engel sagte sehr zurückhaltend: "Frohe Weihnachten Weihnachtsmann! Ist es nicht ein schöner Tag. Ich habe da einen schönen Tannenbaum für dich. Wo soll ich den denn hinstecken?"

Und so hat die Tradition mit dem kleinen Engel auf der Christbaumspitze begonnen …

[websin]

bitte hier diskutieren:

http://www.wallstreet-online.de/diskussion/1110967-41571-415…

Danke

[Laie3000]

Antwort auf Beitrag Nr.: 46.078.624 von Optimist_ am 19.12.13 00:35:55

Das englische Wort Engineer heißt nicht zwangsläufig Ingenieur im Deutschen, es kann sich auch um einen einfachen Arbeiter handeln.
Zudem ist es Unsinn, dass man einen tödlichen Arbeitsunfall jetzt als Anlass zur Forderung nach Stillegung der Anlage nimmt. Natürlich ist sowas Scheiße. Die Gegner werden jedes Argument was sie dafür nehmen können gegen Lynas vorzugehen nutzen.
Zum Vergleich: wird denn der LKW Transport auf Autobahnen nach tödlichen Unfällen eingestellt?

[Optimist_]

Anscheinend ist in einem Rückhaltebecken der LAMP am letzten Freitag ein Ingenieur, aus was für einem Grund auch immer, ertrunken. Das sind sicherlich keine hilfreichen Nachrichten aktuell und nur Futter für die Kritiker. Wird sich schnell aufklären müssen um weitere Eskalationen zu verhindern und die angeschlagene Reputation nicht weiter zu schädigen.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/calls-re…

Calls renew for Lynas shutdown after third death at plant

December 14, 2013
Latest Update: December 14, 2013 07:15 pm

Opponents of the Lynas Advance Materials Plant in Pahang have renewed calls for the closure of the controversial rare earth refinery following the death of an engineer who drowned in a pond at the facility yesterday.

The Save Malaysia Stop Lynas (SMSL) movement said the fatal accident, the third in two years at the plant near Kuantan, Pahang, should be viewed seriously, and warranted a full investigation.

“This is very serious. We are demanding the government shut down the Lynas Advance Materials Plant immediately and cease all activities in the plant until a full and comprehensive independent investigation is completed by the relevant authorities like the Department of Occupational Safety and Health to establish the nature and cause/s of the fatal accident,” its chairman Tan Bun Teet said today.

33-year old engineer Mohamad Fadzli Mohamad Rafdzi was believed to have slipped and fallen into a pond at 9am yesterday. According to Bernama, rescuers found his body several hours later.

SMSL said it was not the first such accident at the plant, citing two deaths reported last year involving a subcontractor and another person during an interview session at the plant.

Another anti-Lynas movement, the Stop Lynas Coalition (SLC), said such accidents should not be glossed over as localised incidents.

“The government must come clean to disclose these cases of mishaps in fairness to those who have suffered and to the grieving families of the victims,” said Ali Akbar Othman, a member of the coalition.

The plant in Gebeng has been mired in controversy after residents claimed it emits the hazardous thorium compound that can cause cancer among humans. It is known that the processing of rare earth materials would produce a thorium by-product.

The Australian-owned plant's ability to obtain a temporary licence, despite not revealing a waste disposal facility, has enraged activists who have opposed the company’s practices and the government for allowing such a plant within a 30km radius of 700,000 residents.

Groups have called for the government and Lynas shareholders to remove the company’s operations from Malaysia amid the company’s poor performance in the Australian bourse due to weakened rare earth prices.

SMSL said although previously some of the firm’s shareholders had wanted to conduct best practices in its operations abroad, it has been business as usual for Lynas.

However, yesterday’s death has given the group more cause to question the plant’s operational procedures and safety hazards.

“Safer work place and a healthy environment should be in place when highly corrosive and hazardous substances are handled to protect the life and the safety of workers at the plant,” said Tan. - December 14, 2013.

...und ganz aktuellein Interview Video mit dem CEO Eric Norez auf Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SQ4I6YyiFs

Eric Noyrez of rare earth leader Lynas discusses production, demand and his purchase of shares

Veröffentlicht am 18.12.2013

December 18, 2013 -- Tracy Weslosky, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of InvestorIntel interviews Eric Noyrez, CEO and Managing Director for Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX: LYC | OTCQX: LYSDY) for an update on Lynas and to discuss the recent AGM, production capacity, future demand, Eric's recent purchase of Lynas stock, and how entering 2014, Lynas is positioned to achieve its vision of being the global leader in rare earths for a sustainable future. Lynas has the rare and esteemed distinction of being both an operational rare earths miner and producer. A pioneer in the rare earths space outside of China, Lynas mines rare earths from its Mount Weld Mine in Western Australia (the highest-grade deposit of rare earths on the planet), concentrates it onsite and ships the materials to the state-of-the-art Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), near Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia, where the concentrate is refined into final end-user-ready rare earth products. A titan in the REE space, Lynas has successfully built the world's largest, most advanced and most environmentally friendly rare earths production platform to complement the uniquely rich Mount Weld ore body. As a result, Lynas is able to offer its customers an integrated, sustainable source of rare earths.

Tracy begins with asking Eric about Lynas' recent Annual General Meeting, specifically in regards to the ramping up of REE production at the LAMP, which is expected to be at full Phase 1 capacity by the end of this year.

Eric confirmed this and said that they are now in Phase 1 (operating since 2011 in Western Australia and since 2013 in Malaysia), producing 11,000 tonnes, with the second phase equalling 22,000 tonnes. Market conditions will be the primary determinant as to when full production capacity is utilized. "So we will be optimized at 11,000 tonnes, and should the market improve in regard to off-take and pricing, we will keep up the pace," explained Eric.

Tracy, in commenting that virtually anyone who is following the rare earth space today is following Lynas, asked Eric to give listeners an overview as to where the company is today, specifically focusing on the Mount Weld Project -- the world's richest known REE deposit. Eric stated that Mount Weld is a deposit with 10% to 25% rare earth containing ore, whereas with other deposits such as in Inner Mongolia (China) or California, it is closer to 5% to 10%. In the rest of the world, grade is more along the lines of 1% to 2%. Lynas has more than 25 years of reserves on site at full production capacity and additional resources which could later be extracted.

Mentioning a debate which has taken place at InvestorIntel, Tracy remarked that a lot of people like to characterize Lynas as "a light rare earth producer only". Eric responded: "Yes we are a primarily a light rare earth's producer, which is correct. But we do have 5% heavy rare earths in our ore, so Lynas is probably one of the biggest -- in total terms -- heavy rare earths producers in the world. Inside even the light rare earths, we tend to have more valuable products."

Tracy inquired as to the current demand for light rare earths. Eric stated: "The Lynas project has been a customer-based business model (which means that) the key leaders in the various rare earth elements -- meaning lights and heavies -- have made the way Lynas is set up today. Initially we had a long-term contract set up for Cerium and Lanthanum, which is supposed to be the longest product in the rare earth's cart -- as a way of making sure that the off-takes of Lynas would be secure. Thus, the company's Phase I production (of 11,000 tonnes) is fully secured under contract and we can sell everything we can produce."

Lynas' goal is to support the rare earths market in growing to its full potential. Lynas believes the market will grow to its full potential when prices are sustainable for both customers and suppliers. The company believes prices need to be higher to secure long term supply visibility to customers. For example, NdPr prices are currently supporting most of RE production cost on the basis of expected future growth. Lanthanum, on the other hand and contrary to market perception, is already short as shown by the export figures from China. Consequently, Lynas has recently announced a minimum price for new lanthanum oxide sales contracts of $15 per kilo, reflecting the actual market dynamic.

In closing, Tracy wanted to ask Eric briefly about the recent announcement of his decision to purchase more shares of Lynas. Without hesitation, he remarked, "I bought shares because I believe in the business and I believe in what we are doing. I'd like to get the reward of it -- and not take on the risk. That's the simple reason why I bought shares of Lynas."

[Optimist_]

Artikel vom 05.12.13 im Wall Street Journal:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-still-dominates-rare-…" target="_blank" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-still-dominates-rare-…


China still dominates rare-earth processing

By James T. Areddy

SHENZHEN, China--When U.S. Rare Earths Inc. begins mining on the border of Montana and Idaho about two years from now, the U.S. will gain a new domestic, non-Chinese source of minerals essential to making electronic devices and weaponry components.

But at the moment, there's virtually no place for these minerals to be processed into something useful--except China.

China's share of global rare-earth output has been shrinking recently as miners elsewhere capitalized on fears the country controls too much global supply. Even so, China still dominates the complex--and often polluting--middle steps that turn mined material into useful ingredients, including metals and magnets. For example, China supplies about 80% of the specialized magnets produced with rare-earth ingredients like neodymium that are used in everything from elevators to cruise missiles.

"It's amazing people haven't connected these dots," said U.S. Rare Earths Chief Executive Kevin Cassidy. His company plans to build facilities in the U.S. to handle difficult middle-stage processes, but that will be expensive and require numerous regulatory approvals.

Three years ago China shocked high-technology industries by tightening export controls on a group of 17 elements called rare earths that sent their prices rising as much as tenfold, prompting then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to dub the scare a "wake up call."

Miners responded by racing to find new rare-earth sources in the U.S. and elsewhere. Industry authority Dudley Kingsnorth says those new sources already cut China's share of global supply to 86% from 93% between 2011 and 2012. China's export policies are the subject of a continuing dispute between Beijing, Washington and others before the World Trade Organization. The WTO last month ruled illegal certain restrictions on Chinese rare-earth exports, though Beijing is expected to appeal the largely symbolic decision.

But when it comes to processing rare earths, China faces little competition--and Wang Qin's greasy hands illustrate why. The 45-year-old machinist for Feller Magnets Corp. in the southern city of Shenzhen runs dozens of machines that slice magnetic blocks made with rare earth into razor-thin discs that his company says will be installed in mobile phones.

While his computerized saws can meet precision specifications for Feller's high-technology customers, the machines also slick its factory floors with oil. Basins of acids and extreme heat feature in other parts of the facility. The company, which says half its output is sold in China compared with only 30% in recent years, didn't respond to a request for comment on factory conditions.

China's dominance in a field with a poor environmental record illustrates one way it plays key roles more generally in global manufacturing. China tops world output of chemicals and fertilizers, as well as making lead-acid batteries and harvesting of scrap computer parts for metal. Business executives say that China's backbone in intermediate industries, including rare-earth processing, allows it to draw in related businesses that depend on the products and thereby deepening its importance to production supply chains from computers to automobiles.

In 2010 Beijing significantly crimped exports of rare-earth minerals citing environmental reasons to clean up a chaotic industry. Seeing prices of the elements soar, investors funded dozens of mine exploration projects around the world.

Since then, a California mine and one in Australia have ramped up, with others in South Africa, Vietnam, India and Kazakhstan now in the construction phase, according to Gareth Hatch, an industry investor and principal at Illinois-based Technology Metals Research LLC. But he said many prospectors who rushed after 2010 to bring new supplies to market wrongly assumed, "if you build the mine, the downstream supply chain will magically appear outside of China."

A number of U.S. defense contractors declined to comment on industry trends. Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. referred questions to the Aerospace Industries Association, which pointed to a September report from the U.S. Congressional Research Service that said "most rare earth materials' processing is performed in China, giving it a dominant position that could affect world-wide supply and prices."

A Defense Department spokesman said the military continually monitors the situation while citing an "increasingly diverse and robust domestic and global supply chain for rare earth materials." A March 2012 military report highlighted positive trends "for a market capable of meeting future U.S. Government demand."

While Mr. Kingsnorth, executive director of Industrial Minerals Company of Australia, estimates China's share of world production could slide to 63% by 2016, he points out that China continues to dominate the nine steps between mining rare earths and producing something with the material.

After ore is pried from the ground and unwanted minerals are sifted away to make a concentrate of minerals, complex acid and chemical treatments are required to separate individual rare earths into quantities that are useful. Many of the 17 rare earths share such similar physical properties that separating individual elements can require several months and 1,000 chemical treatments.

Outside China, few places have the industrial capacity to separate the elements. Companies in the U.S., Russia, France, Japan and elsewhere handle some of these steps, but China is the only place that has the industrial capacity to do them all.

Among those producing fresh output is U.S.-based Molycorp Inc. Yet Molycorp exports some of the neodymium and samarium from its giant deposit in California's Mojave Desert to its processing facilities in China.

"The downstream does take longer to develop," says Molycorp's interim Chief Executive Officer Constantine Karayannopoulos. "It does take skills that go beyond mining."

Molycorp said it spent $1.5 billion to build a separation facility in California, and Mr. Karayannopoulos estimates a quarter to a third of that cost is related to ensuring the plant operates to high environmental standards, which include recycling wastewater. Still, Molycorp says it is cheaper to make some of its materials at its facilities in China. Mr. Karayannopoulos also estimates around 60% of that output is sold to multinational companies already in China.

"I can't overemphasize how complex supply chains are," said Mr. Karayannopoulos.

A big effort to reduce China's role in the intermediate steps of processing rare earths is being undertaken by Australia's Lynas Corp. with a plant opened last year in Malaysia to handle separation processes. But local environmentalists decry the facility as dangerous, and Lynas says it has processed only a fraction of its output there this year. Lynas says none of its material is being sent to China for separation.

Increasingly, China is taking steps to expand into more profitable aspects of the rare-earth business that follow the separation processes, instead of exporting those raw materials. Mr. Kingsnorth likens such efforts to European winemakers: "France doesn't sell any grapes," he said.

Write to James T. Areddy at [e-mail]