Recently, the local government released the EIA public notice for the waste power battery regeneration project. The project involves a total investment of RMB 137 million, located in Hangzhou Jiande High-tech Industrial Park. It consists of newly built dry process workshop, wet process workshop, comprehensive warehouse, and solid waste warehouse, adopting advanced domestic process technologies and equipping with discharging systems, pyrolysis furnaces, leaching kettles, impurity removal kettles, etc. Upon completion, it will achieve an annual processing capacity of 15,000 tons of waste power batteries and 10,000 tons of LFP battery black mass.

Recently, the official website of Zhuzhou Economic Development Zone in Hunan Province released information regarding a pre-approval public notice for the environmental impact report of the annual 10,000-ton lithium battery material production line recycling renovation project of Hunan Leaguer Group Co., Ltd. The project is located at No. 1728, Changlong Road, Zhuzhou Economic Development Zone, Hunan Province. The project will utilize existing factory buildings for renovation. It involves retrofitting the existing ternary precursor cathode material production line 1 (5,000 t/a) by adding a nickel-cobalt-manganese mixed metal dissolution and impurity removal process; converting the existing 5,000 t/a iron phosphate production line into ternary precursor cathode material production line 2 (5,000 t/a); trial production of ternary precursor cathode materials will continue to rely on the existing pilot-scale line; simultaneously, the treatment measures for production exhaust gas, wastewater, and solid waste will be renovated.

SMM June 24 News: Driven by the demand for coordinated development of quality inspection and market services in the non-ferrous industry chain, on June 23, a delegation led by Zhou Bo, Vice President of SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (SMM), Long Huachen, General Manager of the South China Office, and Lin Jiazhi, Business Manager of the Copper Division, visited the CCIC Southwest Region Fangchenggang Area Company for exchanges. They were warmly received by Huang Lu, General Manager of the CCIC Southwest Region Fangchenggang Area Company, Liang Cuirong, Marketing Manager of the CCIC Southwest Region Fangchenggang Area Company, Ye Lingling, Deputy Director of the Mineral Products Laboratory of the Technical Center, and Huang Zhisheng, Deputy Director of the Environmental Laboratory of the Technical Center. During the cordial discussions, leveraging SMM's global non-ferrous industry big data, authoritative spot benchmark pricing, futures and spot industry services, and entire industry chain resource advantages, the two parties conducted in-depth discussions on core topics such as non-ferrous mineral inspection, commodity quality inspection, futures delivery inspection, and upstream and downstream industry chain collaborative services. They fully exchanged views on mineral product inspection standards, quality inspection support for cross-border commodity trade, futures delivery compliance inspection, and the integration of industry data and inspection services. This visit opened up channels for cooperation between industry information, trade circulation, and third-party quality inspection, laying a solid foundation for the two sides to continuously deepen industry mutual trust, complement each other's resources, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Introduction to CCIC Southwest Regional Company China Inspection and Certification Group (abbreviated as China Certification & Inspection Group, with English abbreviation CCIC) is a central state-owned enterprise established with the approval of the State Council and managed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. It is a comprehensive quality service organization with "inspection, testing, certification, standards, and metrology" as its main businesses. Founded in 1980, it owns three major brands: CCIC, CQC, and CAERI. CCIC Southwest Regional Company (hereinafter referred to as "Southwest Regional Company") is one of the eight regional companies directly managed by CCIC in China. It comprises five provincial-level companies, namely Guangxi Company, Yunnan Company, Sichuan Company, Chongqing Company, and Guizhou Company, as well as four area companies, including Fangchenggang, Qinbei, Border, and ASEAN. It has established six functional departments, five business divisions, and one business support department. Southwest Regional Company's service network covers the major ports and cargo distribution centers in the five provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) of Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou, as well as in the four countries of Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Its business scope encompasses the three major industries of agriculture, industry, and services, touching upon all sectors of the national economy and all aspects of people's livelihood. In fields such as commodity trade, enterprise management improvement, agricultural and food safety, ecological environment monitoring, environmental protection technical consulting and assessment, pest control, instrument and equipment metrological calibration, lightning protection detection, traceability, e-commerce platform construction, safety assessment, and occupational health detection and assessment, it provides "one-stop" comprehensive quality services. It is one of the largest and most powerful third-party inspection, testing, and certification organizations in south-west China. The Southwest Regional Company has an independent and comprehensive laboratory system, comprising 14 specialized technical laboratories in China and 3 overseas laboratories, with a total area of approximately 22,000 m², equipped with around 2,300 sets of precision instruments and equipment. It has accumulatively obtained over 18,700 nationally and locally recognized and accredited items, including CMA and CNAS. Its detection capabilities cover multiple fields such as minerals and alloys, fertilizers, coal and coke, petrochemicals, chemical products, food and agricultural by-products, water and wastewater, air and exhaust gas, soil, solid waste, seawater, marine sediment, marine organisms, biological residues, noise, vibration, metrology, lightning protection, electronics and electricals, and software testing. Internationally, it is a designated metal analysis and detection laboratory for the London Metal Exchange (LME) in the UK, a petrochemical product detection laboratory recognized by the Mexican Ministry of Energy, and the first laboratory in China to pass a second-party audit by BP and be designated by the company. Domestically, it is a designated sugar quality inspection agency for the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange; the designated detection laboratory for the coal futures delivery warehouse in Fangchenggang of the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange; a designated quality inspection agency for silicon metal of the GFEX; a designated arbitration and detection laboratory for minerals and alloys appointed by multiple industry leaders in and outside China; and the Central Laboratory for Mineral Products of China Inspection & Testing Group (CCIC). As the only laboratory within CCIC qualified for identifying the solid waste properties of imported and exported metal mineral products and detecting rare earth ores and compounds, the company holds a significant technical advantage in related fields. (Some qualification certificates of the Southwest Regional Company) To date, the Southwest Regional Company has undertaken or participated in over 40 science and technology projects at the national, provincial, and municipal levels; led or participated in the formulation and revision of over 260 international, national, industry, and group standards; holds 3 invention patents, nearly 30 utility model patents, and 41 software copyrights; has received 13 science and technology awards at the provincial and ministerial level or above; has cooperated with universities, research institutes, and enterprises to build 7 key platforms in fields such as petrochemicals, food and agricultural by-products, and minerals and alloys; and its subordinate units have been recognized as a new-type R&D institution, an enterprise with an IP advantage cultivation program, a strategic emerging industry enterprise, and have received many other designations including key laboratory and engineering technology research center. The Southwest Regional Company earnestly fulfills the responsibilities of a central state-owned enterprise and has successively received over 40 honorary titles, including 'National Civilized Unit', 'AAA-Level Credit Enterprise in China Enterprise Credit Evaluation', National High-Tech Enterprise, and Service Industry Leader Enterprise of Nanning City. (Part of the honors of Guangxi Company) Looking ahead, the Southwest Regional Company will continue to base itself in the southwest, serve the whole country, radiate out to ASEAN, and face the world. It is expected to play a greater role in the new journey of high-quality development, striving to contribute to CCIC's effort of building itself into a 'world-class inspection, testing, and certification group with the highest credibility'. In 2026, against the backdrop of the ongoing global green transition and the continued advancement of the “dual-carbon” goals, the nonferrous metals industry is accelerating its shift toward low-carbon, intelligent, and high-end development. As a major nonferrous metals industry cluster in China, South China features a well-developed downstream processing system, abundant reserves of recycled resources, and strong policy support. Leveraging South China’s unique industrial foundation and the new landscape of industry development, to ensure the precise implementation of industry development-related policies, address key pain points in industry development, and build a bridge for resource connectivity across the entire industry chain, the hosted by SMM will be grandly held in September 9–11, 2026 in Nanning, Guangxi . Focusing on key topics such as metal price trends, the medium and long-term market landscape, cross-border trade dynamics, interpretation of industrial policies, and innovation in low-carbon green processes, the conference will conduct in-depth discussions, aiming to build an efficient and authoritative platform for industry exchange and cooperation, empower enterprises in technological innovation and green transformation, help industry participants seize market opportunities and calmly respond to development challenges, and jointly promote the high-quality advancement of China’s nonferrous metals industry. We sincerely invite colleagues from all sectors across the nonferrous entire industry chain to gather in Nanning to discuss new opportunities for industry development and jointly chart a long-term path for coordinated development of the industry chain! SMM Contact : Lin Jiazhi: 15017566696

SMM June 9 News: In the metals market, as of the midday close, domestic base metals fell near across the board. SHFE lead dropped 1.86%, SHFE tin declined 1.86%, SHFE nickel lost 2.33%, SHFE copper edged down, SHFE aluminum fell 0.52%, and SHFE zinc shed 0.38%. Additionally, the most-traded cast aluminum futures contract dipped 0.41%, while the most-traded alumina contract edged down. The most-traded lithium carbonate contract rose 0.32%, the most-traded silicon metal contract slid 2.41%, and the most-traded polysilicon futures contract tumbled 4.04%. Ferrous metals all fell. Iron ore dipped 0.39%, rebar fell 0.47%, hot-rolled coil declined 0.71%, and stainless steel dropped 1.67%. Coking coal and coke: the most-traded coking coal contract plunged 7.48%, hitting the limit-down price of 1,340.5 yuan/mt during the session; the most-traded coke contract slumped 4.31%. In the overseas base metals market, as of 11:46 am, LME metals moved lower across the board. LME copper edged down 0.19%, LME aluminum fell 0.65%, LME lead dropped 0.25%, LME zinc slipped 0.35%, LME tin shed 0.73%, and LME nickel lost 1.01%. In precious metals, as of 11:46 am, COMEX gold edged down 0.1% and COMEX silver fell 1.13%. Domestically, the most-traded SHFE gold contract dipped 0.2%, and the most-traded SHFE silver contract dropped 1.93%. Additionally, as of the midday close, the most-traded platinum futures contract fell 0.99%, and the most-traded palladium futures contract shed 0.33%. At the midday break, the most-traded container freight futures (Europe) contract rose 0.61% to 3,865 points. As of 11:46 am on June 9, selected futures midday quotes: Spot and Fundamentals Copper: Today, spot #1 copper cathode in Guangdong against the front-month contract: high-quality copper quoted at 110 yuan/mt, up 50 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; standard-quality copper quoted at a premium of 70 yuan/mt, up 80 yuan/mt from the previous trading day; SX-EW copper quoted at a premium of 10 yuan/mt, up 70 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. The average price of Guangdong #1 copper cathode was 104,275 yuan/mt, up 330 yuan/mt from the previous trading day, and the average price of SX-EW copper was 104,195 yuan/mt, up 335 yuan/mt. Spot market: Guangdong inventories continued to decline today, marking six consecutive sessions of draws... Macro Front China: [General Administration of Customs: China's Goods Trade Imports and Exports Grew 15.3% YoY in the First Five Months, with Electromechanical Product Exports Up 18.4%] According to customs statistics, in the first five months of 2026, China's total goods trade import and export value reached 20.68 trillion yuan, up 15.3% YoY (the same hereinafter). Specifically, exports reached 11.91 trillion yuan, up 11.8%; imports were 8.77 trillion yuan, up 20.5%. In May, China's total merchandise trade import and export value reached 4.45 trillion yuan, up 16.9%. Of this, exports were 2.59 trillion yuan, up 13.8%; imports were 1.86 trillion yuan, up 21.5%. In terms of key commodities, on the export side, in the first five months, China's exports of mechanical and electrical products amounted to 7.58 trillion yuan, up 18.4%; labour-intensive products reached 1.61 trillion yuan, down 3.1%; and agricultural products totalled 300.79 billion yuan, up 1.6%. On the import side, in the first five months, China imported 3.54 trillion yuan worth of mechanical and electrical products, up 25.3%; 218 million mt of crude oil, down 4.8%; and 618.16 billion yuan worth of agricultural products, up 7.6%. [Ministry of Commerce Holds Symposium on Solid Waste Recycling for PV, Lithium-ion Battery and NEV] On June 5, the Ministry of Commerce held a symposium on solid waste recycling for PV, lithium-ion battery and NEV. The meeting emphasized the need to align thoughts and actions with the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adopt multiple measures, and take concrete actions to advance the construction of the solid waste recycling system for PV, lithium-ion battery and NEV. It called for systematic advancement and synergy, accelerating the improvement of top-level institutional design, promoting the issuance of policy documents, and forming a working pattern featuring policy coordination, resource sharing, complementary advantages, and integrated progress. It urged targeted guidance and category-specific policies, adopting differentiated and precise measures based on the development stages and recycling characteristics of power batteries, PV modules, and wind turbine equipment, to effectively resolve dismantling issues in recycling. It stressed technology-led and technology-empowered approaches, actively promoting basic R&D on technologies related to solid waste recycling for PV, lithium-ion battery and NEV, and facilitating the integration and application of AI in the recycling process. It emphasized pilot exploration and encouraging pioneers, continuing pilot work on building a renewable resource recycling system, encouraging industrial clusters and industry leaders to take the lead in trials, improving recycling efficiency, enhancing sorting capacity, and promoting high-quality development of the recycling industry. (From Wall Street CN APP) [Two Departments Jointly Launch 2026 Humanoid Robot and Embodied AI Real-Scenario Training Special Action] The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council jointly launched the 2026 Humanoid Robot and Embodied AI Real-Scenario Training Special Action. Adhering to application-driven approaches, they will target key scenarios in industrial, special, and service fields, and promote key tasks such as the construction of real-scenario training spaces, cultivation of innovative application consortia, tackling of operational skills, and application deployment verification. Through real-scenario training, they will continuously optimize embodied AI model algorithms, accumulate high-quality real-machine data, improve the performance of key robot body components, and explore the establishment of full life-cycle management and assurance mechanisms for humanoid robots and embodied AI products. By the end of 2026, key products such as humanoid robots will have taken the lead in completing application verification and routine deployment across a range of representative scenarios, entering an "operational mode"; over 100 high-value application scenarios will be condensed and formed, further enriching the embodied AI application spectrum and driving the deployment capabilities on a scale of tens of thousands of units. (From Wall Street Insights app) [PBOC open market operations achieved a net injection of 152.8 billion yuan today.] PBOC conducted 153 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repo operations today, and as 200 million yuan of 7-day reverse repos matured today, a net injection of 152.8 billion yuan was achieved. (Gold Ten Data APP) On the dollar front: As of 11:46, the US dollar index fell 0.02% to 99.08. The market is waiting for the US inflation data to be released on Wednesday, which will affect expectations for the Fed's June rate decision. According to CME "FedWatch": the probability that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged in June is 98.1%, and the probability of a cumulative 25bp rate cut is 1.9%. For the July meeting, the probability of keeping rates unchanged is 84.7%, the probability of a cumulative 25bp rate hike is 13.6%, and the probability of a cumulative 25bp rate cut is 1.6%. (Gold Ten Data APP) Morgan Stanley strategists said in a report that if risk appetite rebounds and the Fed avoids raising rates, the US dollar could weaken in the coming months. They noted that in the absence of higher interest rates, positive risk sentiment is negative for the dollar. However, they said that if the US economy outperforms others, leading to larger rate hikes than in other countries, the dollar would fare better. "Given that both the ECB and the BOJ are expected to raise rates this month, narrowing rate differentials should fuel a rise in risk appetite, thereby putting pressure on the dollar." (Gold Ten Data APP) On the data front: Today will see the release of Germany's April seasonally adjusted industrial output m/m, Germany's April seasonally adjusted trade balance, the US May NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, the US weekly ADP employment change for the week ending May 23, the US April trade balance, the US May existing home sales annualized, and the US April wholesale sales m/m, among other data. In addition, attention should be paid to Apple's WWDC developer conference, which runs through June 13. On the crude oil front: As of 11:46, oil prices in both markets declined, with WTI down 1% and Brent down 0.83%. The phased easing of the Iran-Israel situation has pulled back oil prices, reflecting some relief in market concerns over Middle East supply risks. However, the market remains cautious in its assessment of the situation. Whether energy transit through the Strait of Hormuz can be substantially restored remains a key focus for traders. A small number of commercial vessels returned to the waterway last weekend, but risks persist, with some ships even sailing with their digital transponders turned off. (Wall Street CN) The US Department of Transportation said on Monday that rising jet fuel prices, driven by the Middle East situation, caused US airlines' fuel costs in April to surge 78% compared to the same period last year, reaching nearly $6.5 billion. In its monthly report, the department stated that airlines' fuel costs rose 26% from March, while fuel consumption in April fell 2.6% from March. The department added that the cost per gallon of fuel in April was $4.11, up $1.81 from April 2025, a trend that is already having an impact on the industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects airlines' fuel expenditure to jump from about $252 billion in 2025 to approximately $350 billion this year, with fuel costs accounting for nearly one-third of operating costs. (Jin10 Data APP) Spot Market at a Glance: ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ► ►

On June 3, it was reported that Hong Kong's first large-scale recycling facility for decommissioned electric vehicle batteries will officially commence production in June 2026. The facility will process waste power batteries into regenerated black mass, achieving the resourceful reuse of waste materials. According to estimates from the Environmental Protection Department, the quantity of decommissioned electric vehicle batteries generated in Hong Kong will increase year by year, growing from approximately 1,300 metric tons in 2026 to 6,700 metric tons by 2030. The locally planned producer responsibility scheme for electric vehicle batteries is evaluated to generate an annual economic added value of approximately 66 million Hong Kong dollars and create over 100 full-time jobs in the local solid waste recycling sector. Currently, there are five licensed enterprises in Hong Kong qualified to dispose of automotive lithium batteries.

The Qidong Municipal People's Government in Jiangsu Province issued a notice of proposed approval for the technological renovation project of a Nantong company for general industrial solid waste utilization and disposal. After the renovation, the company will have a comprehensive general industrial solid waste disposal capacity of 13,000 tons of waste NMC batteries and 7,000 tons of waste LFP batteries per year, totaling 20,000 tons of battery waste treatment capability.

As a key fundamental material supporting the stainless steel and new energy battery industries, electrolytic manganese is standing at a critical industrial transformation stage. Driven by tightening environmental policies, accelerating technological iteration, steady traditional demand and booming new energy consumption, the industry features shrinking supply, structural optimization and rising price center, with its strategic value growing increasingly prominent.

Recently, the Shanghai Municipal National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a notice on the *Key Work Arrangements for Carbon Peaking, Carbon Neutrality, Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction in Shanghai for 2026*. The document stated that Shanghai would promote the diversified development of local renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, with the city adding 600,000 kW of new PV installations. Two batches of standalone ESS power station projects would be advanced. The results of competitive bidding on mechanism-based electricity prices for new energy incremental projects would be publicly announced. Huangpu District would be organized to carry out the national carbon peaking pilot program. Chongming District would be supported in steadily advancing the national pilot program for ecological product value realization mechanisms. The *Shanghai Action Plan for Accelerating Green and Low-Carbon Transformation (2024–2027)* would be implemented, promoting the deployment of 15 key application scenarios for green and low-carbon transformation. The construction of national-level zero-carbon industrial parks would be supported, and a number of municipal-level zero-carbon industrial parks would be developed.

China Northern Rare Earth disclosed its 2025 annual report on April 18, which stated: 2025 was a pivotal year for the reshaping of the global rare earth industry landscape, a pivotal year for the strategic elevation of China's rare earth industry, and a pivotal year for the company to achieve historic breakthroughs in its business development. Over the past year, the company implemented national industrial policies and enhanced its capacity to serve national strategies. Production of major products hit record highs , with operating revenue reaching 42.563 billion yuan, up 29.11% YoY; net profit attributable to shareholders of the publicly listed firm reaching 2.251 billion yuan, up 124.17% YoY. The company maintained its industry-leading position in revenue, profit, output value, and market capitalization, successfully concluding the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. It effectively safeguarded the security and stability of China's rare earth industry chain and supply chain, and elevated China's rare earth industry to a new level of high-quality development. The explanation of operating revenue changes disclosed in China Northern Rare Earth's announcement stated: In 2025, amid an overall rise in rare earth market prices, the company seized market opportunities and coordinated the advancement of the "Five Unifications" scientific production model. Production and sales of major products, including smelting and separation products, rare earth metals, rare earth new materials, and rare earth permanent magnet motors, all achieved YoY growth. The main business disclosed in China Northern Rare Earth's 2025 annual report stated: Adhering to the development philosophy of "optimizing and expanding rare earth raw materials, refining and strengthening rare earth new materials, and specializing and differentiating end-use application products," the company is capable of producing 11 major categories, over 100 varieties, and more than 1,000 specifications of rare earth products. The company's products are mainly divided into rare earth raw material products, rare earth new material products, and rare earth end-use application products. Among them, the company's rare earth raw material products include rare earth salts, rare earth oxides, and rare earth metals, which serve as the primary raw materials for downstream rare earth new material and new material product processing enterprises. Rare earth new material products include rare earth magnetic materials, polishing materials, hydrogen storage materials, catalytic materials, and rare earth alloys. The company's rare earth end-use application products mainly include rare earth permanent magnet high-efficiency energy-saving motors, solid-state hydrogen storage cylinders, and hydrogen-powered two-wheelers. Regarding the business plan for 2026, China Northern Rare Earth stated in its 2025 annual report: 2026 is the opening year of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period and a critical year for the company to advance high-quality development and accelerate its transformation into a world-class leading rare earth enterprise. The company will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, take forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation as the main theme, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and its successive plenary sessions, implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and instructions on Inner Mongolia and the rare earth industry, as well as the decisions and deployments of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Baotou Municipality, and other higher-level authorities. The company will maintain the general principle of seeking progress while ensuring stability, fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, shoulder its responsibilities and mission, steadily improve operational quality and efficiency, build a comprehensive all-element and all-category industrial system, promote the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, accelerate the pace of deepening reform, enhance the level of modern governance, continuously strengthen core functions and enhance core competitiveness, accelerate the building of a world-class leading rare earth enterprise, achieve a good start for the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, and make new and greater contributions to the construction of the "two rare earth bases." Key production and operating targets for 2026 (these targets are planning targets only; whether they can ultimately be achieved is subject to uncertainty and do not constitute substantive commitments by the Company to investors; investors and relevant parties should maintain sufficient risk awareness and understand the differences between plans, forecasts, and commitments): achieve operating revenue of over 44 billion yuan and total profit of over 3.5 billion yuan. On the premise of meeting operating targets, ensure that employee income moves in tandem with the enterprise's economic performance and labor productivity. Centering on the work targets, the following key initiatives will be carried out: 1. Stabilize production, promote sales, and improve quality and efficiency, demonstrating a new outlook of a strong start. Based on the national rare earth total volume control indicators, organize and arrange production schedules scientifically. Make every effort to ensure stable and high output from Phase I of the green smelting upgrade and renovation project. Enhance the capability of full-element rare earth extraction and separation. Optimize rare earth metal production processes to improve product quality and capacity scale. Release newly added magnetic material alloy capacity, with per-mt product costs reaching industry-leading levels. The polishing segment will leverage resource and capacity advantages, implement transformation toward high-end and precision products, and enhance product competitiveness. Rare earth additives will focus on high value-added product development to ensure stable product supply. Monitor mainstream product price trends and maintain market stability. Achieve production-sales balance for rare earth lanthanum-cerium products while actively digesting inventories. Strengthen procurement and sales channel development for rare earth Pr-Nd products to enhance market control. The functional materials segment will seize policy and market opportunities to secure orders. Rare earth permanent magnet motors will target frontier fields to achieve new breakthroughs in sales. Refine cost management and implement comprehensive measures to deepen cost reduction, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement. Optimize financing methods to provide low-cost funding support for the Company's development. 2. Optimize layout and add momentum, shaping new advantages in industrial development. Efficiently advance the construction of key projects and accelerate the construction of Phase II of the green smelting upgrade and renovation project. Promote the Northern Jinlong separation production line to achieve trial production within the year. Promote stable and smooth production at the Jinmeng rare earth secondary resource project. Build a full-category industrial system and accelerate the implementation of joint venture and cooperation projects. Promote stable production and full production at the Northern Magnetic Material digital green technology empowerment project, and expand segmented application fields of rare earth permanent magnet materials. Strengthen the promotion and application of solid-state hydrogen storage materials and expand new applications in the rare earth catalysis field. Enhance the level of digital and intelligent management, deepen the construction of information management and control systems, continue to advance the in-depth application of business systems such as human resources, discipline inspection, and engineering projects, and further consolidate the digital form of business operations. Build a procurement-sales collaborative management platform to form a closed-loop business process covering "procurement, production, inventory, sales, and finance," achieving business-finance integration. Advance the construction of green smelting smart factories, progressively cultivate major production units to build smart factories, and continuously improve the CNC rate of key processes and the digitalization rate of production equipment. 3. Coordinating internal and external efforts to tackle key challenges, empowering innovation to seek new breakthroughs. Increase high-quality scientific and technological supply and strengthen R&D investment intensity. Focus on project deployment and research breakthroughs in areas such as cost reduction in smelting and separation, quality improvement in metal electrolysis, development of new rare earth materials, and expansion of new rare earth applications, developing new products, new processes, and new equipment. Conduct high-value patent cultivation and standards development and revision in key areas across the entire industry chain. Improve the "1+2+N+4" rare earth industry technology innovation platform system, launch high-level rare earth innovation platform projects, and comprehensively optimize and integrate technology innovation resources. Further leverage the role of the industrial transformation center, streamline the pathway for commercializing research outcomes, and enhance the quality and efficiency of technology transfer. Deepen the integration of industry, academia, and research, and promote the establishment of joint laboratories with renowned universities in China. Carry out "Three Firsts" application work in areas such as NdFeB alloy production equipment, rare earth permanent magnet motors, rare earth polishing fluids, and rare earth functional additives, and achieve substantive results. Further leverage the functions of the company's collaborative innovation centers across various industrial sectors, strengthen resource coordination and centralized management, and implement organized research. Focus on tackling key common technologies, promote close interaction and coordinated development among subsidiaries, and drive the output and transfer incubation of major scientific and technological achievements. Introduce the technology readiness level evaluation system into the entire R&D management process to establish quantitative assessment channels. Continue to strengthen the recruitment and cultivation of scientific and technological talent, providing full support in terms of compensation, research funding, and living benefits. 4. Deepening and substantiating reforms to stimulate new vitality in enterprise development. Enhance the company's management and control effectiveness, improve the board of directors' construction and authorization system, explore the formulation of management systems for the performance of duties by full-time and part-time chairpersons, and elevate the board's standardized performance and scientific decision-making capabilities. Optimize the company's management and control matters, processes, and authorities to improve decision-making efficiency. Promote the optimization and integration of subsidiaries. Implement the requirements of the "doubling" initiative for specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises, and cultivate additional such enterprises. Deepen the reform of the three systems, improve the cadre assessment and evaluation system, and strengthen the rigid implementation of assessment results. Optimize the selection and appointment mechanism, intensify competitive recruitment and market-oriented hiring, implement "3+6" contract-based management, and firmly establish a talent selection orientation that prioritizes actual performance and practical contributions. Closely align with the company's development and actual business needs, scientifically evaluate organizational structures, reasonably reduce management layers, and enhance management effectiveness. Leverage new projects and production lines to establish shared employment mechanisms, promoting dynamic position integration and workforce optimization. Deepen the reform of the compensation distribution system, build a "same-level, broad-grade" compensation system based on position value and performance contributions, strengthen the linkage between subsidiary performance and the company's overall profitability, and drive a close connection between employee income and enterprise profitability as well as individual contributions. 5. Striving for Excellence in Management to Elevate Modern Governance to New Heights. Strengthened strategic security management, enhanced information resource integration, and actively participated in the formulation of national industrial policies. Strengthened financial management by rigorously implementing comprehensive budget management, further reinforcing capital control, and establishing a capital risk prevention and control system. Enhanced financial informatization by building a standardized, efficient, and well-adapted financial shared services system. Strengthened risk and compliance management by improving the compliance management system to ensure that business development and compliance management advanced in tandem. Established a legal affairs shared system to reduce legal service costs for subsidiaries and strengthen the company's overall legal risk prevention and control capabilities. Improved the comprehensive risk management system and optimized risk management across the entire process of strategy, operations, and management. Strengthened safety and environmental protection management, guided by the "10000" safety vision, to enhance intrinsic safety levels. Effectively carried out safety management of relevant parties. Rigorously implemented environmental protection accountability, improved integrated traceability management of solid waste across production, sales, transportation, and utilization, and enhanced emergency response capabilities. Strengthened talent management by reinforcing training and empowerment, implementing targeted training by level and category, and improving the competency of key personnel. Deepened specialized cultivation of high-level talent and strengthened the deep integration of talent development with the company's strategic growth. Innovated the training model for industrial workers, built a platform for skills inheritance and innovation, simultaneously consolidated talent reserves, optimized talent structure, and enhanced talent effectiveness. Strengthened market capitalization management by establishing a scientific market capitalization management philosophy, improving the ESG management system, and comprehensively leveraging measures such as information disclosure, investor relations management, cash dividends, mergers and acquisitions, and ESG on the basis of enhancing the company's value creation capabilities, to improve market capitalization management performance and maintain the company's position as the largest by market capitalization in the rare earth industry. When discussing potential risks, China Northern Rare Earth mentioned product price risk: Affected by internal and external factors such as macro economic conditions, cyclical industry fluctuations, changes in rare earth market supply and demand, intensified market competition, and geopolitical disruptions, prices of major rare earth products may fluctuate and decline, posing product price risk. Countermeasures: The company will closely monitor market conditions, strengthen market forecasting and analysis, innovate marketing models, adjust marketing strategies, improve product quality, vigorously expand markets, and increase product market share. While maintaining and expanding the marketing base for Pr-Nd products, the company will intensify marketing efforts for La-Ce products, optimize service quality, and improve client satisfaction. Leveraging the role of a major rare earth group, the company will stabilize confidence, stabilize expectations, and stabilize market operations, adopting comprehensive measures to overcome unfavourable factors and striving to mitigate the impact of product price risk on the company's operating performance. Looking back at the SMM Pr-Nd oxide price trend in 2025: the average price of Pr-Nd oxide on December 31, 2025 was 606,500 yuan/mt, compared with the average price of 398,000 yuan/mt on December 31, 2024, representing an increase of 52.39% in 2025. In comparison, the annual daily average price of Pr-Nd oxide in 2025 was 491,576.13 yuan/mt versus 391,871.9 yuan/mt in 2024, indicating a YoY increase of 25.45% in the daily average price in 2025. Driven by expectations of supply reduction due to partial shutdowns at separation plants, upstream suppliers raised their quotes rapidly, low-priced spot cargo in the market tightened quickly, pushing rare earth prices up for three consecutive days. According to SMM pricing, on April 20, the price of Pr-Nd oxide was 815,000-818,000 yuan/mt, with an average price of 816,500 yuan/mt, up 1.74% from the previous trading day. As the price of Pr-Nd oxide rose, wait-and-see sentiment in the market intensified, while downstream magnetic material enterprises had limited acceptance of high-priced metals, and purchasing enthusiasm declined. In the short term, supported by strong confidence among upstream suppliers to hold prices firm, Pr-Nd product prices are expected to hover at highs. For more information on rare earth fundamentals, technical aspects, and policy developments, please attend the ~ SMM Rare Earth Forum Contact: Wang Haiqiao Contact: 19818727891

Spring tides surge, ushering in a new chapter. In Q1, driven by the sustained improvement of the macro economy, China's non-ferrous metals industry, guided by the principle of stability with simultaneous gains in quality and efficiency, delivered an impressive report card of a "good start" — from steady recovery in industrial investment to sustained growth in market demand, from strengthening price resilience to an overall surge in enterprise profitability, and from continuous optimization of industrial structure to accelerating technological innovation. Steady Growth in the Non-ferrous Metals Industry On April 16, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released Q1 macro economic data. In Q1, China's GDP grew 5.0% YoY, up 0.5 percentage points from Q4 last year, reaching the upper end of the full-year growth target range of 4.5%–5.0%, achieving a solid start for the economy. Among the data, industrial value added of enterprises above designated size grew 6.1% YoY. Among the three major sectors, mining grew 6% YoY; manufacturing grew 6.4% YoY, with high-tech manufacturing up 12.5% YoY; and the production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water grew 4.3% YoY. Among major industries' value added, non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing grew 2.5%. In Q1, China's production of ten major non-ferrous metals totaled approximately 20.53 million mt, up 3.6% YoY, including aluminum production of approximately 11.41 million mt, up 3.1% YoY. The non-ferrous metals industry achieved steady growth. The recently released monthly prosperity index report for the non-ferrous metals industry showed that in March, China's non-ferrous metals industry prosperity index stood at 38, up 2.8 points MoM, displaying a steady upward trend, with the industry overall exhibiting characteristics of stable production, steady investment, and sustained growth in profitability. Capacity utilization side, in Q1, the capacity utilization rate of non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing remained flat YoY and was slightly above the national average for industrial enterprises above designated size. The national capacity utilization rate for industrial enterprises above designated size was 73.6%, down 1.3% from Q4 last year and down 0.5% YoY. Among them, the mining industry's capacity utilization rate was 72.1, down 2.5% YoY; the capacity utilization rate of non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing was 77.2%, down 0.3% YoY. Notably, investment side, in March, investment in China's non-ferrous metal smelting and rolling processing turned from a 9.2% YoY decline in the previous two months to a 3.7% YoY increase, shifting from negative to positive and achieving a notable rebound. Market side, as China's macro economy maintained steady progress, the manufacturing PMI returned to expansion territory, industrial production grew steadily, and monetary policy remained prudent, providing support for the non-ferrous metals market. Aluminum prices in particular continued to strengthen, supported by costs and demand, with SHFE aluminum futures reaching a high of 25,965 yuan/mt. In addition, gold, cobalt, and lithium prices saw remarkable rebounds. Overall, amid a macro environment of stable supply and growing demand, the non-ferrous metals industry exhibited a steady and positive development trend. Profitability side, driven by the combined effects of high-level price fluctuations in major metal varieties and steady growth in market demand, industry profitability continued the steady growth momentum from the end of last year. In January–February, overall industry profitability improved significantly, with industrial enterprises above designated size achieving revenue of 1,713.17 billion yuan, up 28.3% YoY, and total profits of 123.16 billion yuan, up 133.5% YoY, with profitability steadily strengthening. Steady Growth in Publicly Listed Firms' Performance Driven by demand growth and industrial structure optimization, in Q1, the non-ferrous metals sector on A-shares delivered significant performance growth, with publicly listed firms in the non-ferrous industry generally reporting substantial profit increases. As of now, among non-ferrous metals companies on A-shares that have disclosed Q1 earnings forecasts, over 90% reported positive results, with nearly half posting YoY net profit growth exceeding 100%. Leading enterprises delivered particularly impressive results. Aluminum Corporation of China is expected to achieve Q1 net profit of approximately 5.302–5.585 billion yuan, up 50%–58% YoY, setting a record high for the same period. Yunnan Copper, benefiting from rising copper prices and the recovery of smelting TC, reported a Q1 earnings increase with net profit up approximately 45% YoY. CATL achieved Q1 revenue of 129.131 billion yuan, up 52.45% YoY, and net profit attributable to shareholders of approximately 20.738 billion yuan, up 48.52% YoY. Zijin Mining is expected to achieve net profit attributable to shareholders of 17–20 billion yuan, up 65%–97% YoY, with both volume and price of its two core products — copper and gold — rising, highlighting the advantages of its global resource deployment. CMOC, driven by rising prices of copper, cobalt, rare earths, and other products, is expected to achieve Q1 net profit of 7.5–9 billion yuan, up 90%–128% YoY. Shenhuo Co., benefiting from rising aluminum prices and declining raw material costs, is expected to achieve Q1 net profit of 2.25 billion yuan, up 217.68% YoY. Huayou Cobalt is expected to achieve Q1 net profit of 2.497 billion yuan, up 99.45% YoY, driven by robust demand for new energy battery materials and rising volumes and prices of nickel, cobalt, and lithium. Boosted by international gold prices hitting record highs, gold stocks saw explosive performance, with Western Gold expected to achieve Q1 net profit of 450–560 million yuan, up over 11 times YoY. In Q1, with stable supply and better-than-expected demand, the non-ferrous sector was broadly favored. International gold prices broke through $2,400/oz, the average SHFE copper price exceeded 100,000 yuan/mt, and prices of aluminum, tin, tungsten, rare earths, and other metals rose significantly YoY. The supply-demand pattern continued to improve — globally, new mine capacity was limited and ore grade at aging mines declined, keeping supply tight. Demand side, emerging markets such as AI computing power, NEVs, energy storage, and ultra-high voltage saw robust demand, while traditional infrastructure and real estate demand gradually recovered, driving sustained growth in the non-ferrous metals consumer market. Production cost and efficiency improvement side, enterprises advanced industry chain integration, green smelting for cost reduction, and refined management, significantly enhancing profitability. Notably, in this round of the non-ferrous sector's sharp rise, beyond traditional leading varieties such as copper, aluminum, and gold, minor metals including rare earths, tungsten, and antimony also delivered eye-catching performance. Additionally, the new energy revolution and changes in the geopolitical environment drove significant growth in demand for metals such as lithium and cobalt, boosting demand for strategic materials including non-ferrous metals and steel. Analysts believe that against the backdrop of intensifying global resource competition and the accelerating development of new energy and the digital economy, the non-ferrous metals industry, as a strategic raw material sector, is expected to see sustained and steady improvement in industry prosperity. Steady Breakthroughs in Technological Innovation Technological innovation is the core driving force and key pillar for the sustained and stable development of China's non-ferrous metals industry, and a vital engine for driving the industry's transformation toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. Through continuously deepening scientific research and innovation and persistent, solid efforts, China's non-ferrous metals industry has achieved fruitful results in technological innovation. Recently, a research team at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully developed a "super copper foil" that enables smartphones, computers, and EVs to generate less heat, charge faster, and operate more safely during high-current charging. In daily life, electric current generates heat when passing through resistance — the higher the charging power, the hotter electronic devices become. This phenomenon is caused by the inconspicuous copper foil inside electronic devices. This wafer-thin "copper sheet" serves as both a conduit for electric current and a carrier of heat. However, for a long time, copper foil has faced an insurmountable challenge — high strength means poor conductivity; good conductivity means thermal stability cannot keep up. These three properties form an "impossible triangle," where improving one comes at the expense of the others. The "super copper foil" newly developed by the research team at the Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has cracked this "impossible triangle" — maximizing strength, conductivity, and thermal stability simultaneously. First, strength surged. Ordinary industrial copper foil has a tensile strength of approximately 300–600 MPa, while the newly developed "super copper foil" achieves a tensile strength of 900 MPa, roughly twice as strong as conventional copper foil. Second, conductivity remained intact. Despite the significant increase in strength, the "super copper foil" maintains an electrical conductivity of 90% of high-purity copper. Compared with traditional copper alloys of similar strength, the "super copper foil" offers approximately twice the conductivity, truly achieving both strength and conductivity. Furthermore, the "super copper foil" also excels in thermal stability — after being stored for six months under normal conditions, its performance showed no degradation, making it suitable for long-term use in electronic products, batteries, and other applications. When manufacturing the "super copper foil," the research team added a trace amount of organic additive to the electroplating solution, causing numerous 3nm-sized "micro-locks" to form inside the copper foil. These "micro-locks" act like countless microscopic nails, firmly locking the gaps between copper crystal grains, naturally boosting the foil's strength significantly. These "micro-locks" bond seamlessly with the surrounding copper, so electrons passing through encounter virtually no obstacles, resulting in almost no loss of electrical conductivity. It can be said that copper foil serves as both the "nerves" of electronic devices and the "blood vessels" of the new energy industry. This "super copper foil" is already capable of continuous production under industrial conditions, opening new pathways for upgrading and iterating various devices including smartphones, AI chips, and EVs. The successful breakthrough of this technology holds significant strategic importance for the independent and controllable development of China's electronic information and new energy industries. Additionally, small-scale technological transformations and on-the-job innovations in production workshops also yielded remarkable results, becoming an important lever for quality and efficiency improvement in Q1. Baiyin Group's smelting system focused on maintaining continuous and stable production, rationally allocating raw material structures and dynamically adjusting process workloads in response to changes in raw materials and market conditions, achieving new highs in product quality while maintaining stable output. Dianzhong Non-ferrous Metals Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Copper, focused on comprehensive utilization of resources, successfully converting sulfur slag into a profit-generating "rich ore," forging a path that achieves both green, low-carbon development and economic benefits. The key technology for collaborative disposal and resource recovery of typical solid waste from copper, lead, and zinc, led by Kunming Institute of Metallurgy Research, won the first prize of the Environmental Technology Progress Award from the China Association of Environmental Protection Industry, thanks to its advanced technical capabilities and significant environmental benefits, providing a practical and feasible technical pathway for the industry's green transformation and making the conversion of solid waste into valuable resources a reality. In the production workshop of Luoyang Copper Processing Co., Ltd., the world's widest copper plate cold and hot rolling mill — the 3500mm copper and copper alloy wide-thick plate cold and hot rolling mill — completed its first trial rolling successfully, marking a major breakthrough for China in the field of high-end copper and copper alloy wide-thick plate rolling equipment. Spring heralds a new journey, with steady momentum and rising quality. In Q1, China's non-ferrous metals industry advanced steadily with gains in both volume and efficiency, demonstrating operational resilience; publicly listed firms maintained sound operations with continuously improving profitability, building a solid foundation for development with strong performance; innovative achievements in key material breakthroughs, green low-carbon smelting, and digital-intelligent transformation continued to materialize, injecting strong momentum into industrial upgrading and firmly establishing a high-quality start for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Standing at a new starting point, the entire industry will build on stability, pursue progress to enhance quality, continue to deepen the industry chain, strengthen the innovation chain, and elevate the value chain. In Q2, the industry will seize the momentum and forge ahead, advancing the non-ferrous metals industry toward high-end, intelligent, and green development with more solid steps, and delivering an even more impressive non-ferrous metals report card for achieving stable growth and promoting transformation throughout the year.