【新唐人2011年9月29日讯】中国稀土生产占世界总产量的97%，欧盟为减少对中国的依赖，正在储备稀土。而中国也试图降低这种资源的生产量，严管稀土开采。不过，中国江西赣州盗采商户在地方当局的包庇下，疯狂盗采稀土出售，暴利惊人。加上滥采稀土，给当地带来生态灾难。请看报导。
香港《东方日报》28号报导，知情人士透露，今年上半年，在以前经济属于不发达的赣州，就涌现出约百个亿万富翁，千万身家者不计其数，全部是稀土矿主，如今的江西赣州满街都是名车。
赣州人张毅，今年初开始做稀土生意，现在身家已过亿，因身边不少朋友都换了车，他也打算换一辆宝马跑车。
四川环保人士陈云飞：“这些亿万富翁出现了，绝对有亿万富翁的官员。他们（官员）只是没有暴露出来。他们要么是裸官，要么他是把钱存到国外，这肯定是官商勾结这里面有，还有他们（开采者）是当官的代言人。”
稀土的珍贵，源于它的用途广泛，包括冶金、机械、化工、陶瓷、皮革等。当中，冶金尤其重要，只要在钢铁和有色金属中加入小量稀土，就能改善金属性能。
报导说，在江西赣州，一吨矿就3万元成本，可以卖40多万，一车至少可以拉10吨，许多开采者只要干1票，就可以赚4百多万。有消息指出，许多稀土矿都有地方官员的股份，每年分红数额惊人。
江西地质矿产部门林先生：“因为受这种利益驱使，由于稀土的价格在上涨，但是，你这种，因为稀土的覆层面积非常广泛，而且开采也非常容易，第三个它的利益啊，受利益的驱使，它确实会存在。”
另外，由于土法开采及提炼稀土金属，手法粗暴简单，对周边生态环境造成无可补救的严重侵害。当地农民多次要求当局严查，但都不了了之。目前，已有大批农民因为环境被污染，土地无法耕作而要出外打工。
四川环保人士陈云飞表示，这样没有规划、没有计划的开采，牺牲了几代人的利益。
陈云飞：“它是牺牲了几代人的利益。一个是环保、一个环境利益，再一个是财富利益。它所有项目，它都没有这个正规的，就是方方面面的专家论证过后。比如说，专业论证过后这个稀土，我们必须做长远的规划，今年开采多少，明年开采多少，它没有搞这个，它就是看眼前的利润。”
在赣州龙南县，因稀土资源开采，导致生态破坏尤其恶劣，随处可见红褐色、寸草不生的裸露山体，清涧和河流已被污染成黄浊不堪的臭水，人畜灌溉皆不能用，农民只好蓄雨水备用。至于被酸水浸蚀过的农地，再也无法耕种。
江西环保工作人员：“但是我们就知道，它就是氨氮一定会超标，然后生态一定会破坏，地下水也肯定会受到影响。”
赣州有色冶金研究所副所长杨新华表示，整治稀土，迫在眉睫。
新唐人记者唐睿、柏妮采访报导。
Illegal Mining Reaps Millions for Jiangxi Officials
While the rest of the China is trying to limit rare earth mining by applying stricter rules to its production,
in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, officials are collaborating
with business owners to illegally mine and sell rare earths,
reaping huge profits and brining ecological disaster to the area.
Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily News reported on September 28,
that according to sources, in the first half of 2011,
there were around a hundred billionaires
in the economically undeveloped city of Ganzhou,
including a multitude of millionaires, all of them being
rare earth mining business owners.
They all drive luxury cars and can be spotted everywhere in the city.
Zhang Yi, from Ganzhou City, started a rare earth business
earlier this year and already has a net worth in the billions.
Many of his friends have already upgraded their cars,
so he is considering buying a new BMW.
Sichuan environmental activist, Chen Yunfei:
“If business owners are becoming billionaires, there must be
government officials who are also becoming billionaires;
they’re just not making it obvious.
The business owners are paying off officials,
or they’re diverting the payback money abroad.
These business owners are definitely colluding with officials
and are acting as the voice of government officials."
Rare earths are valuable because of their versatility,
as they can be used in making metals, machine parts,
chemicals, ceramics, and leather.
Their most important use is in metallurgy, as adding a small
amount of rare earths to steel and nonferrous metals
can greatly improve their properties.
According to a report, in Ganzhou City, the cost of one ton
of rare earth is about 30,000 yuan (US$4,691),
but it can be sold for over 400,000 yuan (US$62,558).
One truck can carry at least 10 tons, so just one load
can net about 4 million yuan (US$625,492).
According to sources, local officials are shareholders
in these rare earth mining companies, reaping huge annual dividends.
Mr. Lin from the Department of Geology and Mineral Resources
in Jiangxi Province said, “Driven by financial interest,
the price of rare earths keeps rising.
Since rare earths have many industrial uses,
they can be easily mined, bringing fortunes to those involved."
Also, because the mining and refining process of rare earths
is generally being carried out in a careless manner,
irreparable damages is being done to the surrounding areas.
Local farmers have repeatedly requested that authorities perform
thorough investigations into the situation, but to no avail.
Many farmers are forced to perform hard labor in other cities
because their farm land is contaminated beyond repair.
Sichuan environmental activist, Chen Yunfei, said,
“Mining without a plan will affect many generations to come."
Chen: “It is at expense and interest of many future generations.
On one hand we are concerned about protecting the environment,
on the other hand, financial gains are at stake.
No mining project is ever evaluated by experts.
When mining rare earths, a business’’ operation needs
to be carefully evaluated and must go through long-term planning.
We have to limit the amount that can be mined each year.
No one does this, because all they care about is immediate profits."
In Ganzhou City, in Longnan County, the ecological damage
done there due to rare earth mining, has turned the soil red,
with barren hills spotted everywhere.
The once clear river has turned yellowish
with an unbearable strong smell, thus the river water cannot be used
to feed humans or animals.
Farmers can only stock up on rainwater.
After the farm land is exposed to acidic erosion,
it can no longer be used to grow food.
Jiangxi environmental staff: “We know that the ammonia content
is over the allowable limit, thus damaging the environment
and affecting underground water sources."
Ganzhou Nonferrous Metallurgy Research Institute,
deputy director, |Yang Xinhua said environmental remediation
of rare earths is imminent.
NTD reporters Tang Rui and Bo Ni.
