Added Value of Baotou’s Rare Earth Industry Increased by Over 16% in the First Half of 2025

According to the Baotou Statistical Micro-Message, in the first half of 2025, the added value of large-scale industries in Baotou City increased by 12.3% year-on-year, surpassing the national average (6.4%) and the regional average (7.1%) by 5.9 and 5.2 percentage points, respectively, maintaining double-digit growth for 58 consecutive months.

In the first half of the year, the added value of the mining industry increased by 21.0%, manufacturing by 11.4%, and the production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, and water by 8.7%. Among the 34 major industrial categories above the designated size, 21 industries saw an increase in added value, with a growth rate of 61.8%.

In the first half of the year, the added value of the crystalline silicon photovoltaic, onshore wind power equipment, and rare earth industries increased by 14.1%, 32.6%, and 16.7% year-on-year, respectively, collectively contributing 6.5 percentage points to the growth of the added value of large-scale industries, forming a significant pillar of the industrial economy. Additionally, the added value of the aluminum industry increased by 4.0%, and the power industry by 6.7%.

In the first half of the year, the added value of strategic emerging industries in Baotou City increased by 11.9% year-on-year. The five major emerging industries, led by the fluorine chemical industry, carbon fiber and high polymer new materials, new energy heavy trucks and supporting industries, and hydrogen energy storage, saw an added value increase of 12.5%, 0.2 percentage points higher than the added value of large-scale industries.

In terms of investment, Baotou City’s fixed asset investment increased by 15.1% year-on-year, surpassing the national average (2.8%) and the regional average (14.8%) by 12.3 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively. Driven by the construction of the "two rare earth bases," the rare earth industry completed investment growth of 93.4%, contributing 2.9 percentage points to the overall investment growth.

Baotou is not only a significant hub for rare earth resources in China but also a globally renowned region rich in rare earth resources. Rare earths, a collective term for 17 metal elements including lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium, are known as “industrial vitamins.” Their applications permeate core areas of modern industry: in the new energy sector, neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets are key materials for wind turbine generators and electric vehicle motors; in environmental protection, cerium-based catalysts are widely used in automotive exhaust purification systems; in the electronics industry, lanthanum is used in camera lenses and fiber optic doping, while europium and terbium support the color rendering of LEDs and LCD displays; in agriculture, lanthanide elements can improve soil quality; and in medicine, gadolinium serves as an MRI contrast agent.

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