When well-known brands like rubber tires, plastic building materials, architectural coatings, and ceramics enjoy widespread social recognition, it's often difficult for consumers to be familiar with non-metallic mining products—materials that sit at the top of manufacturing supply chains and have long been subordinate to these industries. At the annual meeting of the China Non-Metallic Mineral Industry Association on September 14, delegates highlighted a growing concern: as the government emphasizes the safe and rational use of resources, the non-metallic mineral industry—essential to many manufacturing sectors—deserves much more public attention.
"Everything starts from the mining industry," is a popular saying in the non-metallic mining sector. This statement holds true, as non-metallic minerals are deeply connected to traditional industries such as chemicals, building materials, light industry, and metallurgy. In fact, about 80% of mineral materials are inorganic chemicals, many of which serve as key components in chemical production. Materials like calcium carbonate, wollastonite, kaolin, and talc are essential additives in plastics, adhesives, and coatings, while fluorite and zeolite play crucial roles in the production of fluorine plastics. Even advanced materials used in aerospace and military applications rely heavily on non-metallic ores. The scale of this industry is immense—by 2005, the output of plastic products, rubber products, and coatings reached 25 million tons, 12 million tons, and 5 million tons respectively, with non-metallic mineral fillers reaching 3.75 million tons, 1.8 million tons, and 750,000 tons. These figures represent just a fraction of the total demand in the chemical industry.
Zhang Zhan, chairman of the China Non-Metallic Mineral Industry Association, acknowledges the industry’s strong foundation, with over 100 million tons of output and unique global reserves. However, he also points out major challenges: scattered industrial communities across the country, small-scale enterprises, low-level product development, and significant quality gaps compared to international standards. Many exported non-metallic mineral products are still raw or semi-processed materials, leading to a situation where China exports cheap ore but imports high-value processed goods. For example, in 2004, the import price of graphite products was 38 times higher than the export price, and imported kaolin was nearly ten times more expensive than domestic ore. This "low-income, high-cost" dilemma not only harms economic gains but also leads to the wasteful depletion of natural resources.
Experts suggest that improving the grade and technical content of non-metallic mineral products is essential. By enhancing product features and performance, the industry can better support the upgrading of traditional and high-tech chemical products. This shift could help make the non-metallic mineral industry stronger and more competitive.
With rising oil prices affecting the petrochemical industry, non-metallic mineral-related sectors are becoming increasingly important. Strategic alliances between fluorine chemical companies and fluorite mines, for instance, can create mutual benefits. Meanwhile, as petroleum resin prices soar, rubber and plastic manufacturers are turning to cost-effective, non-metallic mineral-based fillers to reduce costs without sacrificing performance. This approach offers a practical and economical way to sustain operations.
As a new five-year plan approaches, rapid industrial growth will further increase reliance on resources. In the value chain formed by non-metallic minerals and industries like chemicals, textiles, and metallurgy, the growing demand for limited resources is likely to spark fierce competition across all sectors. This sets the stage for a new era of "upstream resource competition."
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