No quick fix for illegal rare earth hunt

BEIJING - China's tougher measures to crack down on illegal mining of rare earth may not have instant results, given the scattered distribution of the minerals across the south and resistance from local interest groups, industry experts said.

But the situation will gradually ease when industry integration, driven by the central government, helps to stabilize and buoy rare earth prices in the long run.

Importation figures revealed by the major exporters of China's rare earth minerals, such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea, have more than doubled China's export quota over the past years, indicating rampant and illegal exploration is taking place in the domestic market, said Sun Fan, an analyst at GoldState Securities Inc.