2026 marks the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Against the backdrop of intensifying global macro fluctuations and the deepening of domestic high-quality development, the zinc industry is undergoing profound changes: tightness on the ore side and the release of smelting capacity create structural tensions; divergent domestic and overseas inventories mirror the complex supply-demand rebalancing; and technological innovation is becoming a key driving force for resolving conflicts and reshaping the landscape. New energy, new-type infrastructure and other key areas of the 15th Five-Year Plan are injecting new momentum into traditional zinc consumption, while green, low-carbon and circular economy paradigms are also accelerating the restructuring of industrial logic, driven by technological innovation. With the joint support of upstream and downstream zinc enterprises, industry associations and all relevant parties, SMM 2026 SMM Zinc Industry Conference concurrently held with the 8th Hot-Dip Galvanizing Industry Development and Technology Innovation Forum, the 14th Zinc Salt, Zinc Oxide and Secondary Zinc Resources Development Forum, and the Zinc-Based Materials Development Forum will be held in Qingdao, Shandong from August 6 to 8. Under the theme “Gathering Zinc Momentum, Building the Zinc Industry, Embarking on a New Journey,” the conference will be driven by macro perspectives and fundamental analysis as its dual engines, closely adhere to the main line of high-quality development of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and focus on four dimensions: macro policies, supply-demand patterns, global trade, and technological innovation. It aims to drive cost reduction and efficiency improvement through technological breakthroughs, respond to market fluctuations with collaborative innovation, and jointly draw a new blueprint for the high-quality and sustainable development of the zinc industry. Baoding Aoqisheng New-type Metal Materials Manufacturing Co., Ltd. will grandly attend this event, discussing industry development trends with industry peers and jointly pushing the zinc industry to new heights. Click the to register for the conference immediately, witness and participate in this extraordinary and far-reaching industry event, and create a brilliant new chapter together! Founded in 2012 with a registered capital of 39.8 million yuan, Baoding Aoqisheng New-type Metal Materials Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is located in Baoding, Hebei, a historic city in China. Situated in the heart of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei triangle, the company is rooted in the galvanizing sector of North China and serves the national galvanizing market. The company has a comprehensive management system and a quality and technical service system with full employee participation, and has obtained the ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification, and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification. Its “Baoding” and “Aoqisheng” trademarks have been registered with the National Trademark Office. The company holds 7 invention patents and 37 utility model patents. Through deep cultivation of industrial development, it has won multiple heavyweight provincial qualifications and honors, being successively recognized as a Hebei Province Technology-based SME, Hebei Province Innovative SME, Hebei Province Specialized, Distinctive and Novel SME, Hebei Province Specialized, Refined, Distinctive and Novel Demonstration Enterprise, and Provincial Manufacturing Single Champion Enterprise. It has established the Hebei Provincial Enterprise Technology Center and Hebei Provincial Zinc-based Alloy Innovation Center, and has been rated as a Hebei Provincial Green Factory. In 2021, Baoding Aoqisheng New-type Metal Material Manufacturing Co., Ltd. cooperated with the National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Metal Material Coating of China Iron & Steel Research Institute to build the Baoding Alloy New Material Production and Research Base Project. The company enjoys a high reputation in China's hot-dip galvanizing alloy manufacturing industry. Its main products include: zinc-aluminum alloy, zinc-nickel alloy, multi-element rare earth alloy, zinc-bismuth alloy, zinc-antimony alloy, zinc-aluminum-magnesium alloy, and other zinc-based new-type functional alloys. ◆ Contact ◆ Tel: 0312-8063789 QQ: 767 496 767 Website: www.bdags.com Address: No. 1699 Zhongxin West Road, Qingyuan District, Baoding City Long press to scan and register now 2026 SMM Zinc Conference

[Tungsten News Flash] SMM June 5: On May 29 local time, the DRC Council of Ministers reviewed and approved a special decree, officially incorporating six mineral categories—lithium, tantalum, niobium, tungsten, uranium, and rare earths—into the national strategic minerals list. According to the relevant provisions of the DRC's current Mining Code, strategic minerals are subject to a royalty rate of 10%, while the base royalty rate for ordinary non-ferrous metals is 3.5%. After the new policy takes effect, the royalty costs for local mining enterprises involved in newly designated strategic minerals such as lithium and tungsten will increase to nearly three times the original level. This expansion of the catalog is a significant implementation measure by the country to optimize critical minerals revenue distribution and strengthen control over domestic strategic resources. The policy will be officially implemented through a cabinet enforcement decree.

[SMM Rare Earth News Flash] The preliminary economic assessment of Ramaco Resources' Brook rare earth project in Wyoming showed that at an 8% discount rate, the after-tax net present value was approximately $1.2 billion, with an internal rate of return of 38%, initial capital costs of $473 million, and a payback period of approximately 5 years. The mine had a designed life of 42 years and was expected to produce 1,000 mt of total rare earth oxides annually. The project is the first new rare earth-critical minerals mine built in the US in seventy years, and construction of mining and pilot facilities is currently underway. The Phase 1 SRC processing facility of REalloys is expected to commence operations by the end of 2026 or early 2027, with a designed annual capacity of 525 mt of Pr-Nd alloy, 25 mt of dysprosium metal, and 12 mt of terbium metal.

[SMM Rare Earth News Flash] Ramaco Resources and REalloys signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership aimed at building a domestic US rare earth and permanent magnet supply chain. Ramaco will supply REalloys with mixed rare earth carbonates and scandium oxide produced from its Brook project in Wyoming, while REalloys will utilize SRC facilities for separation and processing. REalloys may secure supply rights to up to 20% of Ramaco's future production of critical materials. The Brook mine is the first new rare earth mine built in the US in over 70 years, and mining and pilot-scale processing facilities are currently under construction.

[SMM Rare Earth News] US-based Ultra Rare Metals recently completed full ownership of the PCH rare earth project in Goiás State, Brazil. Through a share swap agreement, Ultra Rare Metals increased its previously held 50% stake to 100%. Upon completion of the transaction, former Canadian partner Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. will hold 25% equity in Ultra Rare Metals. The PCH project covers a total area of 42,932.2 hectares, encompassing two mineralization systems: hard rock carbonatite and ionic adsorption clay (IAC).

[SMM Rare Earth Weekly Review: Rare Earth Market Shows Mixed Performance, Tug-of-War Between Upstream and Downstream Continues] Influenced by short covering by bears, futures prices rose, slightly boosting downstream willingness to restock. Procurement volumes for Pr-Nd oxide edged up compared to the previous period, and supplier quotes also rebounded slightly. As of today, Pr-Nd oxide prices fluctuated upward to 697,000-700,000 yuan/mt.

[SMM Rare Earth News Flash] USA Rare Earth announced on June 2 that it will invest $1.2 billion to build a new magnet manufacturing and rare earth metal refining plant in Cherokee County, South Carolina, located at the Bailey Industrial Park in Blacksburg. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce 6,400 mt of sintered NdFeB permanent magnets and 5,000 mt of rare earth metals and alloys annually. Combined with the expansion plan for the Stillwater plant in Oklahoma, the company's total domestic capacity will reach 10,000 mt of NdFeB magnets and 10,000 mt of rare earth metals and alloys per year. The project is the company's third plant in the US, following the separation plant in Colorado and the magnet plant in Oklahoma, and is expected to begin commissioning in 2028.

[SMM Rare Earth News Flash] ASX-listed European Resources announced that multiple untested anomalies were identified south and east of the existing resource area during the Phase 2 passive seismic survey at the Korsnäs rare earth project in Finland, validating the effectiveness of the exploration technique. The new anomalies lie outside the historical gravity coverage, indicating continued along-strike extension of the southern target corridor. The company has applied for an exploration permit extension to the south, and if the 6.3 square kilometer Poikel permit is approved, the total project area will increase to 19.9 square kilometers, further enhancing the exploration potential of this key European rare earth project.

In May, the rare earth market entered its traditional off-season. Although occasional factors such as major producers' procurement briefly boosted rare earth prices, weak downstream demand kept prices under pressure and pulling back overall throughout May. Pr-Nd oxide and dysprosium oxide fell 11% and 11.79% respectively in May, while terbium oxide also edged down. On the supply side, however, an increasing trend emerged — domestic rare earth oxide production was up MoM across the board in May. Combined with continued inflows of ex-China sources, imports of unlisted rare earth oxides in the first four months surged 103% YoY. This supply-demand mismatch further suppressed rare earth price performance in May. Since early June, Pr-Nd oxide and other rare earth products have seen slight price rebounds, driven by major producers' restocking and futures fluctuations. However, the off-season demand shortfall persists — how will the rare earth market perform going forward? Pr-Nd Oxide Down 11% in May, Dysprosium Oxide Down 11.79%, Terbium Oxide Down 1.63% Light rare earth prices: Taking the historical price trend of Pr-Nd oxide as an example, according to SMM quotes: the average price of Pr-Nd oxide on May 29 was 687,500 yuan/mt, compared with its April 30 average price of 772,500 yuan/mt, representing a decline of 85,000 yuan/mt in May, with a monthly drop of 11%. Entering June, Pr-Nd oxide continued to rise, with an average price of 700,500 yuan/mt on June 2. Medium-heavy rare earth prices: Taking the trend of dysprosium oxide as an example, according to SMM quotes: the average price of dysprosium oxide on May 29 was 1,230 yuan/kg, compared with its April 30 average price of 1,375 yuan/kg, representing a decline of 145 yuan/kg in May, with a monthly drop of 11.79%. Entering June, dysprosium oxide prices edged up slightly, with an average price of 1,240 yuan/kg on June 2. Taking the trend of terbium oxide as an example, according to SMM quotes: the average price of terbium oxide on May 29 was 6,025 yuan/kg, compared with its April 30 average price of 6,125 yuan/kg, representing a decline of 100 yuan/kg in May, with a monthly drop of 1.63%. Entering June, terbium oxide prices rose slightly, with an average price of 6,035 yuan/kg on June 2. Oxide Production Up MoM Across the Board in May Production: Due to increased production from scrap recycling enterprises and production resumptions at some enterprises that had previously undergone equipment maintenance, production of Pr-Nd oxide and other rare earth oxides edged up in May compared with April. Imports of Unlisted Rare Earth Oxides Up 103% YoY, January-April According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's imports of thorium ore and concentrates totaled 21,443 mt from January to April 2026, nearly flat YoY. Imports in April were 4,081 mt, up 22% MoM but up 32% YoY. From January to April 2026, China's imports of unlisted rare earth oxides reached approximately 26,123 mt, a significant YoY increase of 103%. Currently, the operating rate of ex-China rare earth mines remains relatively high, keeping actual supply in the international market at ample levels. Outlook Recently, rare earth prices rose due to futures market price fluctuations and periodic restocking by some large enterprises. However, as downstream orders were unsatisfactory, even though raw material inventory at downstream enterprises remained at relatively low levels, end-user wait-and-see sentiment was strong and enterprises showed little enthusiasm for restocking and stockpiling. It is expected that rare earth prices will be in the doldrums again until downstream orders see a notable increase and market confidence shows clear recovery. Recommended reading:

[SMM Rare Earth News Brief] Belgium's Solvay has reached a supply agreement with Australia's Viridis Mining & Minerals to receive rare earth raw materials from its Colossus ion-adsorption ore project in Brazil starting in 2028, processing them into high-purity oxides at its La Rochelle plant in France, covering key magnetic material elements including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium. This move will ensure Solvay meets Europe's growing rare earth demand, helping it achieve its goal of covering 30% of European demand by 2030, while also promoting diversification of the Western rare earth supply chain.