DPRK Rich in Rare-Earth Resources

For their conspicuous role in the economic construction and the development of cutting-edge science and technology, rare earths are called "seasoning" of industry, "vitamin" of materials and "treasure" of new materials.

Only a small number of countries have deposits of rare-earth minerals, and their production and export are on a sharp decrease throughout the world.

Now the competition for securing the rare-earth resources, which are regarded as "strategic resources of the 21 century," are getting fiercer in the international arena in step with the rapid development of cutting-edge science and technology. As matters now stand, the international community is focusing its attention on the DPRK.

The DPRK abounds in rare-earth deposits.

The world's total deposits of rare earths are estimated to be 150 million-160 million tons in content, and the DPRK's prospective deposits amount to scores of millions of tons in content.

They are distributed mainly in North Phyongan, Kangwon and South Hwanghae provinces. They are bastnaesite, monazite and britholite. There are also pyrochlore and other minerals containing rare earths and other rare elements.

There are ten deposits, whose main content is bastnaesite, britholite, monazite and ilmenite with zircon, or fergusonite.

The deposit in an area of North Phyongan Province, for example, is a britholite deposit containing some ten rare-earth minerals of scores of millions of tons.

Prospect for Development and Investment Environment.

In the past the country's scientists and technicians established an industrial method of processing bastnaesite, and succeeded in developing microelement fertilizer, different kinds of additives for stockbreeding, fish culture, sericulture and for the cultivation of tree saplings, medicinal herbs and mushrooms, welding rods, dyeing additives, plastic stabilizers, metal refining agents, permanent magnet, alloys, and medicines and medical appliances. They have recently launched joint research projects on the chemistry of rare-earth materials and their application. They include research into the compounds and materials by quantum chemistry, titanic dioxide (TiC)2) photo catalyst, zeolite catalyst and other catalysts, fluorescent materials and long-life afterglow materials, bio-functional substance in the form of organic complex and the making of nano materials by using supercritical fluid.

Research is also going on to comprehensively process britholite, pyrochiore and other useful mineral resources abundant in the country and recycle all valuable elements such as zirconium, niobium, titanium and apatite as well as rare-earth minerals.

The country is promoting the development of new kinds of high-tech products urgently needed for the national economic construction and the improvement of the people's living standards through the development of rare-earth functional materials and their effective utilization.

The country has a fund specializing in the development of rare earths and investment.

It also provides full legal guarantees favourable for foreign developers and investors.

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