Hello, every one, ladies and gentlemen.

  Here in China, we have some national comprehensive associations or chamber of commerce related with minerals.

  China Chamber of Commerce of Metals,Minerals and Chemicals Importers & Exporters.

  China Mining Association;

  China Non-Metallic Minerals Industry Association (CHINAIM.COM.CN);

  There are also some other trade or regional associations established according to the use of minerals and I will not take the time to introduce all of them to you today.

  Next, I’d like to give you some details on the activities of CHINAIM.COM.CN in the mineral area of China and the whole world.

  CHINAIM.COM.CN is an industry association and it is also a trade association with its principal part of industry enterprises. Some members themselves are mine enterprises and most of the other members are mineral processing enterprises. As we all know, Australia is rich in iron ore but not the biggest producer of iron and steel in the world. These kinds of processing enterprises are based on the market and technical competition, so it is not a “must” to set up mineral processing enterprises in the area which is rich of mineral raw material. Every manufacturing or sales enterprise has to closely follow up the market competition, and only those who suits measures to local conditions could survive and become strong. CHINAIM.COM.CN is just in such a trade based on the production and development of non-metallic minerals according to the government policies, international and domestic markets, the upper side of this association is mainly engaged in contacting with research institutes and equipment manufacturers, while the lower side engaged in contacting sales agents and endusers. Our association now has over 1,000 member companies located all over the country. They include all kinds of mineral resources. 15 mineral committees were set according to the member numbers in each specific mineral, they are: CLAY MINERALS-esp. CHINA CLAY, DIATOMITE, BENTONITE, GRAPHITE, GYPSUM, TALC, MICA, ASBESTOS, SILICA, FLUORITE, FELDSPAR, MAGNESITE, FIRECLAY, WOLLASTONITE and CALCITE. With the increase of the member numbers, the association will apply to the government for new mineral committees. CALCITE committee, which was mentioned above, was newly established in the national non-metallic minerals industry conference (Sichuan, July, 2001). Those members who do not have committees, will be contacted by the head or other functional departments of the association, and provided services accordingly. Our association consists Secretary Section, Technology Development Department, Market Information Department, Shanghai International Office, Expert Consultant committee, and Mineral processing and Utilization Committee. The professional association of CHINAIM.COM.CN which are consisted mainly of mineral manufacturers reflects a true picture of the whole country’s mineral production. In order to avoid the excessive & repeated investment which may result in an resources-waste and excessive supply, we have put up the slogan to all the manufacturers in China that , “To know the whole country’s production situation, please join the CHINAIM.COM.CN”. So for those international purchasers or endusers, finding CHINAIM.COM.CN means they find the non-metallic minerals whole China trade. We will make related introductions about concerned manufacturers based on the advantages in regional resources, technology and customers’ specific requirement.

  Now in China, the current import & export system laid the main force on the state foreign trade companies. Though some large-sized enterprises got approved in import & export business in the last few years, they are experiencing the lack of international business knowledge, market research and related professionals, so the main force in this field is still in those state foreign trade companies. In the non-metallic minerals, there are more medium or small sized enterprises rather than large ones due to the widely spread quarries, different geological conditions and strong substitutability of various similar resources. The proportion of enterprise that has already got the approval to import and export is very small. And for most of the smaller mineral erterprises, the development on every items are gradual, from small to big, from weak to strong. CHINAIM.COM.CN members include these enterprises with the Imp & Exp license and some other foreign trade companies dealing with minerals. In refers to the Imp & Exp service, CHINAIM.COM.CN stands in the ready Imp & Exp enterprises and companies, recommend manufacturer members to the export trading companies, help the enterprises to participate the state bid for export license. CHINAIM.COM.CN also helps those foreign trade companies & member enterprises to attend the international or domestic trade fairs. Presently, CHINAIM.COM.CN holds national mineral conference or fair every year, which provides great chances for persons in this circle to exchange information, it becomes a professional club in this field. The international department of CHINAIM.COM.CN now plans to spend more time to arrange its members to attend the international conferences and exhibitions.

  Meanwhile, we will focus on the development and appliance of new mineral technology. We are making effort to innovate and develop new materials and new appliances. CHINAIM.COM.CN is determined to become a leading creator in the fields of the appliance of new minerals. The majority of the medium and small sized mineral enterprises, especially the very small ones, have a long way to go, from the very beginning to a small one and then a big one and then a strong one. This needs farsighted views and considerate concerns and active supports from the lead in the circle. The international department of CHINAIM.COM.CN decides to become the creator and the pioneer in the development of international markets and technology. Taking this chance, I would like to invite all the research institutes abroad and their researchers, especially those who have enthusiasm to enterprise in China, to join us to develop the rich mineral resources here.

  In the past few decades, Chinese geological industry mainly focus on the exploration of natural resources. Now, we would appeal that we should make resources into products and let them relate to markets. Though many industrial material researchers and institution technologist made a lot of experimental researches, our duties is to connect every aspects, to combine research with market demands, to make resource become commercial products. We put forward our goal which is to “change stone (mine) into gold; to change soil (clay) into cash”. In Chinese, “gold” also means cash and dollar, cash is money; dollar is money too, and gold, in the past, stood for money either.

  Not every country in the world as in China has such a rich mineral resources. But behind these superior minerals, there are more non-superior minerals and lean ores. The superior minerals in the current international market from China are under control by the export license approval. There are more non-superior minerals and lean ores which need us to develop, making waste a treasure. To achieve this, CHINAIM.COM.CN considers this as a key research project and organizes experts to begin related technological research and development. We all know that BENTONITE has a very strong waterproof quality, which is just greatly needed in the west of our country where is very short of water. At the same time, it pervades widely and won’t cause a second pollution. We also find that some non-metallic minerals are very good in adsorption and filtering, such as, SEPIOLITE, ATTAPULGITE, VERMICULITE, ZEOLITE, DIATOMITE AND SILICA etc. So we can use them to solve the river or sea pollution and we can even use them to produce potable water for us. China need to learn new technologies from other countries to improve the use of non-metallic minerals, especially the use of the non-superior minerals and lean ores. We should use the waste resource to produce new products to serve the whole world and this will do good to the society, enterprise, environment and the whole world’s economy.

  China belongs to the whole world and the whole world’s economy won’t develop without China. Many international institutions and companies know better than us in the fields of our resources and China market. At present, large quantity of transnational corporations have their offices or branches in China. Some have invested on the non-metallic minerals. And now, Chinese government has stipulated some rules and regulations on opening the west minerals. CHINAIM.COM.CN’s policy to those companion friends who are eager to join our markets are: to coop with them; to provide service to them and to recommend members to them.

  CHINAIM.COM.CN has a footing on the whole trade and the whole country and gives service to the whole  society and the whole world. We hope that we can become a professional club of mineral industry in China by our careful work and enthusiastic service.