Rare earth metals aren’t so much rare as they are a nightmare to extract and in the past two years, EXPENSIVE. The problem with the useful little elements is the mining process, which is extremely damaging to the environment, making many countries less than keen on doing it themselves... the old N.I.M.B.Y. (Not In My BackYard) mentality.

China has been one of the few countries willing to take on the environmental risks of mining which has made it a major supplier of rare earth metals across the globe.

So what happens when China decides to cut back? Well, the price skyrockets and major consumers like the United States have to find alternative suppliers.

Zepol searched some rare earth metal HTS codes in its TradeView database (composed of U.S. Census imports and exports) and found some interesting stats:

• France has become a major supplier of rare earth metals to the United States in the past year. In 2011 the country supplied over $56 million worth and in 2012 (January-November) it exported over $105 million.
• The highest price increase for rare earth metals was HTS code 28.05.300000 (Scandium and Yttrium, whether or Not Intermixed Or Interalloyed). It went from $6.38/KG in 2008 to $172.12 in 2011.
• From 2007-2011, the United States has actually reduced the amount of rare earth metals it imports by 50%, although the total price for the goods has gone up 533%.

HTS Code	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	*2012
2805300000 - Rare Earth Metals, Scandium and Yttrium	$8.54	$6.38	$22.18	$29.11	$172.12	$109.97
2846908000 - Compounds, Inorganic/Organic Yttrium/Scandium	$4.99	$8.88	$8.91	$15.63	$78.32	$70.29
2846902010 - Rare Earth Oxides Except Cerium Oxide	$5.11	$9.53	$4.81	$6.67	$38.28	$27.93
2846100000 - Cerium Compounds	$3.44	$4.61	$3.31	$6.68	$24.58	$14.80
2846902050 - Mixtures of Rare Earth Chlorides	$3.10	$5.81	$5.05	$5.49	$54.64	$13.95
2846904000 - Contain Wt. Gt 19% But Lt 85% Yttrium Oxide	$19.47	$61.79	$25.89	$12.16	$32.94	$11.63
Average $/KG	$4.60	$7.79	$6.35	$10.01	$55.62	$35.73

*2012-Data represents January-November 

In recent months, U.S. exports of gold have climbed to levels not seen in several years. Year-to-date, U.S. gold exports have reached over $12 billion and are up 67% from last year and over 135% from 2010. The graph below illustrates the significant increase for 2012 compared with recent years. A key question on our mind is: where’s all this gold headed?


Using Zepol’s TradeView™, we find that in past years, the top importers of U.S. gold have included the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and India. While those countries have seen a steady increase in gold imports for 2012, there’s one country that has significantly impacted the upward trend. Switzerland, in particular, reached the top of our list so far for 2012 and has increased gold imports from the United States by over 200% this year compared with last year. Below are the top ten countries importing gold from the United States for 2012. If exports continue at the current pace, we may reach a record-high year for U.S. gold exports.


Note: Data is based on HS Code: 7108 - Gold (including Gold Plated With Platinum), Unwrought Or In Semimanufactured Forms, Or In Powder Form  

Zepol’s recent creation of the “HTS Code Widget” allows media partners and industry professionals to access up-to-date statistics on thousands of HTS Codes…directly from their websites!

It’s easy as 1, 2, 3:

This widget is available to media partners as well as industry professionals. If your company is interested in including this value-added service to your website, please Contact Us and we’ll send you the code to get rolling!

Zepol is excited to introduce our newest product, ComplianceMonitor™, to our current array of trade intelligence products including TradeIQ™ and TradeView™. ComplianceMonitor™ allows users to proactively stay up-to-date on important compliance related information and changes. Along with sending 'Updated Reports' when there is a change, ComplianceMonitor™ also allows users to receive e-mailed 'Historical Reports', search by HTS Codes, see U.S. Customs rulings, quotas, tariffs, antidumping and countervailing actions, and more. ComplianceMonitor™ helps users avoid steep tariff and duty penalties and make timely business decisions by giving them access to and updating them on six U.S. government compliance sources:

• U.S. Census Bureau import trade statistics
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rulings
• Antidumping (ADD) and countervailing (CVD) investigations from CBP
• ADD and CVD cases from the International Trade Administration (ITA)
• Tariff rate quota statuses from CBP
• Harmonized Tariff Schedule and tariff data from the International Trade Commission (ITC)

"Zepol's pursuit to continuously enhance our trade intelligence tools is a testament to our ongoing commitment to our customers," stated Paul Rasmussen, CEO & President of Zepol Corporation, "With the upcoming 2012 changes in HS codes and the increasing penalties companies are facing, ComplianceMonitor™ is there to keep users informed and on task while saving them time." 

With our products, TradeIQ™, TradeView™, and ComplianceMonitor™, subscribers have access to vital trade data, developed from U.S. government sources that offer insights into the global supply chain. Please click on the following links if you would like to see a sample 'Historical Report' or sign up for a Free Trial. To learn more about ComplianceMonitor™, please visit our website at www.zepol.com.