IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jrpoli/v75y2022ics0301420721005006.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influencing factors and critical path of inter-sector embodied heavy rare earth consumption in China

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Hui-min
  • Feng, Tian-tian
  • Yang, Yi-sheng

Abstract

Heavy rare earth (HRE) has become a necessary metal material in the field of high-tech and new energy. China is rich in rare earth, but years of mining resulted in over-exploitation of HRE. And HRE's resource advantage position has been weakened gradually. Therefore, with the increasing demand for HRE, it is of great significance to understand the flow of HRE in sectors in China. In this article, the research model combines the input-output model and complex network model. From the perspective of sector supply chain, the network structure of embodied HRE flow network is analyzed, and the key sectors are identified. Subsequently, the impact of sectors' network roles on the consumption of embodied HRE is quantified based on panel regression model. Furthermore, structural path analysis is used to identify the critical path of the embodied HRE consumption. The main results are as follow: firstly, policy implication and supply-side disruption can cause fluctuation in embodied HRE consumption. But due to the rapid development of new energy industry, demand-side driving effect will be more and more prominent. Secondly, each sector plays a different role in the trading of embodied HRE. For example, metal mining and smelting processing is an important supply and consume sector and the consumption of HRE is largely affected by the sectors' network roles. Finally, the critical path of embodied HRE consumption shows that the main supply path is non-ferrous metal ore mining→ non-ferrous metal smelting and processing→ related electric machinery and metalworking machinery manufacturing/cultural, athletic and arts products manufacturing. However, with the development of new energy, the key supply chain may change. Therefore, we should pay attention to the role of the above key sectors and guide HRE to flow to key sectors of high-end applications. It is important to continuously improve the technology innovation of high-end application fields of HRE, promote resource utilization, and ensure the safety of key supply chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Hui-min & Feng, Tian-tian & Yang, Yi-sheng, 2022. "Influencing factors and critical path of inter-sector embodied heavy rare earth consumption in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:75:y:2022:i:c:s0301420721005006
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102492
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420721005006
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102492?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiang, Meihui & An, Haizhong & Guan, Qing & Sun, Xiaoqi, 2018. "Global embodied mineral flow between industrial sectors: A network perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 192-201.
    2. Zheng, Biao & Zhang, Yuquan & Chen, Yufeng, 2021. "Asymmetric connectedness and dynamic spillovers between renewable energy and rare earth markets in China: Evidence from firms’ high-frequency data," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Duan, Cuncun & Chen, Bin & Feng, Kuishuang & Liu, Zhu & Hayat, Tasawar & Alsaedi, Ahmed & Ahmad, Bashir, 2018. "Interregional carbon flows of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 342-352.
    4. Mancheri, Nabeel A., 2015. "World trade in rare earths, Chinese export restrictions, and implications," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P2), pages 262-271.
    5. Hou, Wenyu & Liu, Huifang & Wang, Hui & Wu, Fengyang, 2018. "Structure and patterns of the international rare earths trade: A complex network analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 133-142.
    6. Sai Liang & Sen Guo & Joshua P. Newell & Shen Qu & Yu Feng & Anthony S.F. Chiu & Ming Xu, 2016. "Global Drivers of Russian Timber Harvest," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 20(3), pages 515-525, June.
    7. Chen, B. & Li, J.S. & Wu, X.F. & Han, M.Y. & Zeng, L. & Li, Z. & Chen, G.Q., 2018. "Global energy flows embodied in international trade: A combination of environmentally extended input–output analysis and complex network analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 98-107.
    8. Zhang, Bo & Qu, Xue & Meng, Jing & Sun, Xudong, 2017. "Identifying primary energy requirements in structural path analysis: A case study of China 2012," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 425-435.
    9. Federica Cerina & Zhen Zhu & Alessandro Chessa & Massimo Riccaboni, 2015. "World Input-Output Network," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(7), pages 1-21, July.
    10. Sun, Xiaoqi & An, Haizhong & Gao, Xiangyun & Jia, Xiaoliang & Liu, Xiaojia, 2016. "Indirect energy flow between industrial sectors in China: A complex network approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 195-205.
    11. Ge, Jianping & Wang, Xibo & Guan, Qing & Li, Weiheng & Zhu, He & Yao, Min, 2016. "World rare earths trade network: Patterns, relations and role characteristics," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 119-130.
    12. Lenzen, Manfred, 2007. "Structural path analysis of ecosystem networks," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 200(3), pages 334-342.
    13. Glen Peters & Edgar Hertwich, 2006. "Structural analysis of international trade: Environmental impacts of Norway," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 155-181.
    14. Wang, Xibo & Wei, Wendong & Ge, Jianping & Wu, Bin & Bu, Wei & Li, Jiashuo & Yao, Mingtao & Guan, Qing, 2017. "Embodied rare earths flow between industrial sectors in China: A complex network approach," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 363-374.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Song, Xiaoxin & Li, Rongrong, 2023. "Tracing and excavating critical paths and sectors for embodied energy consumption in global supply chains: A case study of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    2. Pang, Qinghua & Dong, Xianwei & Zhang, Lina & Chiu, Yung-ho, 2023. "Drivers and key pathways of the household energy consumption in the Yangtze river economic belt," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    3. Zhang, Zhouyi & Song, Yi & Cheng, Jinhua & Zhang, Yijun, 2023. "Effects of heterogeneous ICT on critical metal supply: A differentiated perspective on primary and secondary supply," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    4. Madaleno, Mara & Taskin, Dilvin & Dogan, Eyup & Tzeremes, Panayiotis, 2023. "A dynamic connectedness analysis between rare earth prices and renewable energy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. An, Pengli & Li, Huajiao & Shi, Jianglan & Li, Yiming, 2023. "Competition intensity of energy flow among Chinese sectors from a two-mode network perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    2. Jinghan Chen & Wen Zhou & Hongtao Yang, 2019. "Is Embodied Energy a Better Starting Point for Solving Energy Security Issues?—Based on an Overview of Embodied Energy-Related Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Wei Yang & Junnian Song, 2019. "Depicting Flows of Embodied Water Pollutant Discharge within Production System: Case of an Undeveloped Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Zhang, Hongwei & Wang, Xinyi & Tang, Jing & Guo, Yaoqi, 2022. "The impact of international rare earth trade competition on global value chain upgrading from the industrial chain perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    5. Zhang, Bo & Qu, Xue & Meng, Jing & Sun, Xudong, 2017. "Identifying primary energy requirements in structural path analysis: A case study of China 2012," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 425-435.
    6. Xia, Qifan & Du, Debin & Cao, Wanpeng & Li, Xiya, 2023. "Who is the core? Reveal the heterogeneity of global rare earth trade structure from the perspective of industrial chain," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    7. Yufeng Chen & Biao Zheng, 2019. "What Happens after the Rare Earth Crisis: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-26, March.
    8. Li, Y.L. & Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2020. "Carbon network embodied in international trade: Global structural evolution and its policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    9. Wang, Saige & Chen, Bin, 2021. "Unraveling energy–water nexus paths in urban agglomeration: A case study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    10. Shi, Jianglan & Li, Chao & Li, Huajiao, 2022. "Energy consumption in China's ICT sectors: From the embodied energy perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Wang, Zhenyu & Meng, Jing & Zheng, Heran & Shao, Shuai & Wang, Daoping & Mi, Zhifu & Guan, Dabo, 2018. "Temporal change in India’s imbalance of carbon emissions embodied in international trade," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 914-925.
    12. Yanling Jin & Yi Xu & Rui Li & Changping Zhao & Zhenghui Yuan, 2022. "Comprehensive Evaluation of China’s Input–Output Sector Status Based on the Entropy Weight-Social Network Analysis Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, November.
    13. Zuo, Zhili & McLellan, Benjamin Craig & Li, Yonglin & Guo, Haixiang & Cheng, Jinhua, 2022. "Evolution and insights into the network and pattern of the rare earths trade from an industry chain perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    14. Hu, Xiaoqian & Sun, Boxue & Wang, Chao & Lim, Ming K. & Wang, Peng & Geng, Xinyi & Yao, Cuiyou & Chen, Wei-Qiang, 2023. "Impacts of China’s exports decline in rare earth primary materials from a trade network-based perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    15. Wang, Saige & Cao, Tao & Chen, Bin, 2021. "Identifying critical sectors and supply chain paths for virtual water and energy-related water trade in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    16. Li, Yilin & Chen, Bin & Li, Chaohui & Li, Zhi & Chen, Guoqian, 2020. "Energy perspective of Sino-US trade imbalance in global supply chains," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    17. Bu, Yan & Wang, Erda & Möst, Dominik & Lieberwirth, Martin, 2022. "How population migration affects carbon emissions in China: Factual and counterfactual scenario analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    18. Tang, Miaohan & Hong, Jingke & Liu, Guiwen & Shen, Geoffrey Qiping, 2019. "Exploring energy flows embodied in China's economy from the regional and sectoral perspectives via combination of multi-regional input–output analysis and a complex network approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 1191-1201.
    19. Cai, Xiaomei & Liu, Chan & Zheng, Shuxian & Hu, Han & Tan, Zhanglu, 2023. "Analysis on the evolution characteristics of barite international trade pattern based on complex networks," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    20. Guan, Shihui & Han, Mengyao & Wu, Xiaofang & Guan, ChengHe & Zhang, Bo, 2019. "Exploring energy-water-land nexus in national supply chains: China 2012," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1225-1234.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:75:y:2022:i:c:s0301420721005006. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/30467 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.