On June 29th, the 30th-anniversary celebration of the China Resource Recycling Association and the industry work conference were grandly held at the Beijing National Measurement International Conference and Exhibition Center. The conference, themed "Staying True to Our Original Aspiration and Embarking on a New Journey to Create New Brilliance for Resource Recycling," held in-depth dialogues across various dimensions and levels, making advance layouts for the future development of the recycled resources industry.

Conference Scene

The conference reviewed and summarized the association's key work and major achievements over the past 30 years, and commended units and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the resource recycling industry. Through voluntary applications from enterprises and expert reviews, Xi'an Kailing New Materials Co., Ltd., Dacheng Hefeng Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd., Beijing Gaoxin Lihua Technology Co., Ltd., and Guiyan Resources (Yimen) Co., Ltd., precious metal industry enterprises, were awarded the honorary title of "Technology Innovation Enterprise," and Shenzhen Jindingfeng Precious Metals Equipment Technology Co., Ltd. won the laurel of "High-Quality Equipment Enterprise."

Award Ceremony

From the afternoon of the 29th to the morning of the 30th, the "2023 China Precious Metals Industry Work Conference," organized by the Precious Metals Industry Working Committee of the China Resource Recycling Association, was held concurrently at the same location. More than 300 people from industry regulatory departments, research institutions, industrial enterprises, and the financial futures sector gathered together to brainstorm and chart the course for the green and sustainable development of the precious metals industry.

Actively Planning to Lead the Green and Sustainable Development of the Industry

In his thematic report on "The Current Situation of China's Platinum Group Metal Industry," Bian Jiang, Secretary-General of the Committee, mentioned that, In the first half of 2023, impacted by the rapid growth of new energy vehicles, China's demand for platinum group metals slowed; at the same time, due to the decline in metal prices, the recovery of waste motor vehicle catalytic converters slowed, large-scale collectors hoarded goods, and funds were tied up; recycling in categories such as refining, fine chemicals, and fiberglass was normal, remaining relatively flat compared to the same period, with a slight decline.

Bian Jiang, Secretary-General of the Working Committee of the China Resource Recycling Association

Bian Jiang stated that, 2023 will be an extremely difficult year for the precious metals industry. While strengthening its own standardized development, the precious metals industry needs to further strengthen Brand building to enhance industry credibility, further strengthen technological innovation to improve quality, further extend the industrial chain to strive for product diversification, and further strengthen industrial integration and upstream and downstream collaboration to jointly promote the sustainable development of China's precious metals industry.

Bian Jiang pointed out that in the face of increasing competition, Price fluctuations, profit red lines, and overcapacity pressures and challenges, the industry urgently needs to find new development tracks. Southeast Asia, as a global maritime transportation hub, with the implementation of active economic stimulus policies, has become one of the most active regions in global economic activity. With the gradual unfolding of the "Belt and Road" initiative, especially after China's announcement of the "ban on waste", more and more domestic enterprises have been laying out the Southeast Asian market, which will also become a hot spot for the "going global" of the precious metals industry. Enterprises should give full play to their rich channel management experience, mature industrial chain support, and technological advantages to be the first to try and open up new tracks and blue oceans for industrial development.

Meanwhile, the Committee will explore the establishment of a precious metals industry index system to guide standardized development. First, actively plan to build a precious metals industry prosperity index system to help enterprises better understand the industry's market development trends and competitive conditions, so as to formulate corresponding strategies and decisions. It can also provide references and basis for regulatory policy-making, industrial development goals, and planning; second, actively plan to build a precious metals industry Price index system, explore the establishment of a relatively fair Price index system that conforms to the trading of the platinum group metal market. Through Price equilibrium, expanding online trading, centralized platform trading, certified trading, and information sharing, enhance market transparency and fairness, form a joint force, eliminate price gouging or deliberate price suppression, and prevent speculation from driving up "premium", improve the international market position of China's precious metals industry, and maintain a fair and orderly development environment.

Following this, Bian Jiang gave a detailed introduction to the committee's future work direction and key work arrangements, focusing on strengthening the credit system to maintain the industry image, strengthening the recycling system to ensure raw material safety, strengthening the technological innovation system to enhance Brand image, strengthening the chain ecosystem to improve core competitiveness, strengthening the standard system to promote standardized development, and strengthening the infrastructure system to improve the industry's comprehensive service capabilities, which received full recognition from the delegates.

Platinum Group Metal Demand Roughly Balanced and Overall Stable

  Jiang Jicheng, China Market Research Manager of Johnson Matthey (Shanghai) Catalysts Co., Ltd., in his interpretation of the 2023 Platinum Group Metal Market Report said, In 2023, it is expected that the amount of rhodium recovered from the fiberglass industry will decrease to some extent, and the demand for rhodium in the glass industry will increase; based on the recovery of consumer demand for electronic products in the second half of the year, the demand for palladium in the electronics industry is expected to remain flat; the demand for rhodium in the chemical industry is expected to rise, but the demand for platinum and palladium will slightly decrease. It is predicted that the overall global demand for palladium and rhodium in the automotive industry will slightly decrease. Although the global production of light-duty diesel vehicles has decreased this year, the platinum-palladium substitution strategy and the recovery of heavy-duty diesel vehicle production will further support the demand for platinum; global jewelry demand, after a long period of decline, will be generally stable this year. Analysis indicates that the platinum and palladium markets are expected to be slightly short in 2023, and the rhodium market is expected to be slightly oversupplied, and ruthenium industrial demand will grow strongly ， industrial iridium demand will slightly decrease, while electrochemical iridium demand is in a period of strong growth 。

Jiang Jicheng, China Market Research Manager of Johnson Matthey (Shanghai) Catalysts Co., Ltd.

Practice Sharing Promotes Standardization of Waste Three-Way Catalytic Converter Recycling Management

   According to the provisions of hazardous characteristics in the "National Catalog of Hazardous Wastes," waste automotive exhaust purification catalysts and their attached protective shells belong to national hazardous wastes and pose risks of toxicity, harm to human health, and environmental pollution. They should be sent to regular collection points such as car repair shops or car dismantling enterprises and then legally handed over to qualified hazardous waste utilization and disposal units for safe utilization. However, in the actual recycling and collection process, there are problems such as inconsistent definitions, difficulty in tracing sources, large Price fluctuations, and difficulty in returning to regular disposal enterprises.

Based on this, the conference specially invited Wei Honglian, chief engineer of the Solid Waste Management Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment; Huang Zhiyu, head of the Autocatalysis Business Department of Guiyan Resources (Yimen) Co., Ltd.; Ren Ying, general manager of BASF Heraeus Precious Metals Resources Co., Ltd.; CHAN HONG KOON & FRANCIS, general manager of Shaoguan Borui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.; Yang Fan, deputy general manager of Dacheng Hefeng Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd.; Li Wei, general manager of Xingtai Lotus New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.; and Beijing Huaxin Kaiye Resource Recycling Co., Ltd. General Huang The discussion revolved around the problems and countermeasures encountered in the actual operation of enterprises concerning the above-mentioned issues. Participating guests suggested that, from a policy perspective, the definition of spent three-way catalytic converters as hazardous waste, specific components, and relevant process regulations should be further defined and clarified, and the formulation and implementation of relevant standards and specifications should be accelerated; from the enterprise perspective, further strengthening of its own hazardous waste management, detailing the specific operational procedures and implementation rules for the transportation, transfer, storage, and disposal of spent three-way catalytic converters is necessary, and it is imperative to achieve the integration of the four flows; at the same time, it is necessary to further improve and perfect traditional wet and fire methods, develop new recycling technologies, further improve the level of process technology, reduce costs, enhance processing capacity, and improve the recycling rate and comprehensive recycling and utilization level.

Roundtable Forum: Discussion on Difficult Issues in the Recycling Management of Spent Three-Way Catalytic Converters

Assisting in the research on the listing of platinum and palladium futures to help avoid risks

On the morning of the 30th, in order to help enterprises understand the functions of the futures market more deeply and specifically, explore the feasibility and necessity of listing platinum and palladium futures, and help enterprises avoid Price and market risks, the meeting invited Chen Xuanchen, assistant to the general manager of the Commodity Business Department of Guangzhou Futures Exchange, to give a detailed introduction to the functions of the futures market and the platinum and palladium futures (draft) to the representatives. The listing of platinum and palladium futures is conducive to optimizing the Price formation mechanism, guiding upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain to reasonably arrange production and operation, effectively avoiding Price risks and managing inventory, and is more conducive to strengthening industry supervision, regulating trading order, and promoting the healthy development of the recycling system. However, it also faces problems such as inaccurate market pricing, easily controllable external supply, bill risks, and small market capacity and stability difficulties. Next, the committee will conduct extensive research on the feasibility, necessity, and operability of the listing of platinum and palladium futures, striving to further improve and refine the implementation plan for the listing of platinum and palladium futures, and promote the standardized trading and stable and sustainable development of the precious metals industry.

Chen Xuanchen, Assistant to the General Manager of the Commodity Business Department, Guangzhou Futures Exchange

Breaking and establishing simultaneously, using rules to resist risks and enhance credibility

In the past two years, affected by market fluctuations, Price volatility, and enterprise competition, the precious metals industry has experienced serious involution, breaches of contract have occurred frequently, the rules of operation have been broken from time to time, and the industry's credibility has been severely damaged, making it difficult for enterprises to operate. During the meeting, Liu Jun, senior engineer of China Petroleum Materials Procurement Center, Xu Jinsong, senior expert of Precious Metals Division, China Petrochemical Catalyst Co., Ltd., Liu Xin, deputy general manager of CNOOC (Shanxi) Precious Metals Co., Ltd., Dong Tingyi, deputy general manager of Beijing Cuibolin Nonferrous Metals Technology Happy Center Co., Ltd., and Zhang Zhixiang, chairman of Xi'an Kaitong New Materials Co., Ltd., respectively, conducted in-depth exchanges on industry credibility improvement and enterprise risk prevention from the perspectives of standardized development, risk prevention, and credibility and contract compliance. The guests unanimously agreed that precious metals industry enterprises should "internalize and externalize" the "integrity" character of precious metals, strengthen cultural awareness; they should take integrity as the foundation, seek development through innovation, plan enterprise development with a developmental perspective, achieve win-win cooperation, keep warm together, and "compete" with mutual understanding. It is hoped that the competent authorities will further optimize and refine relevant industrial regulations and policies, and it is suggested that industry associations take the lead in conducting enterprise credit ratings, using multiple measures to improve circulation efficiency, enhance credit reputation, and polish the "precious metals" gold signboard. Professor Jin Xiangyun of Beijing Antaike Information Co., Ltd. presided over the exchange.

Roundtable Forum: Breaking and Establishing Simultaneously Using rules to resist risks and enhance industry credibility

Strengthening research on the green and sustainable development of the precious metals industry

Under the "dual carbon" goal, green remains the brightest background color for China's high-quality development. "Green" has also become a necessary research topic for enterprises to improve their Brand image and strategic planning, and it is also the only way for enterprises to achieve healthy and sustainable development. The precious metals industry certainly cannot stay outside the wave of "green" development. How enterprises can fully tap the potential of green development, promote the green transformation and upgrading of the industry, cultivate and expand the precious metals industry, and continuously expand new areas of green development has also become one of the focal issues of concern to enterprises.

At the meeting, Li Kun, chairman of Yongxing Guiyan Resources Co., Ltd. Zhang Yan, deputy general manager of Jinchuan Group Copper Co., Ltd., Hu Min, general manager of Heraeus Metal (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Qian Ting, managing director of Johnson Matthey (Shanghai) Catalyst Co., Ltd., China District, and Jiang Zhong, chairman of Shenzhen Jinzhenglong Technology Co., Ltd., from the dimensions of technological innovation, quality improvement and efficiency enhancement, chain extension, product diversification, internal control management, external collaboration, raw material guarantee, and market expansion, gave in-depth and easy-to-understand interpretations and analyses of their respective enterprises “14th Five-Year Plan” period green and sustainable development planning, thinking, and suggestions, providing practical reference and theoretical reference for the attendees.

Roundtable Forum: Research on the Green and Sustainable Development of China's Precious Metals Industry

Tea trees do not speak, but their fragrance travels thousands of miles. As most representatives have said, in previous years, “Precious Metals Industry Work Conference” has pointed out the direction for industrial development, provided reassurance, and enhanced industrial confidence, especially in 2023 when industrial credibility faced serious challenges. In particular, the three special roundtable forums specially planned and organized this year closely follow the theme, are close to reality, focus on the key issues of industrial development, and provide guidance and inspiration for the development of the precious metals industry with a professional perspective and unique insights, injecting strong positive energy into the green and sustainable development of the precious metals industry.