Preliminary data show new growth drivers, including high-end manufacturing, the digital and intelligent economy, and modern services, contributed more than 40% of China's economic growth in the first half of 2026. Industrial value added above designated size rose 5.4% year on year, while high-tech manufacturing grew 13.3%. Industrial profits totaled RMB 3,947.99 billion in January–June, up 18.7%. Output of 3D printing equipment rose 48.5%, lithium batteries 39.3%, and industrial robots 28.0%. Fostering new growth drivers was made a key 2026 task.
In the first half of 2026, Northern Rare Earth International Trade Company achieved batch sales of praseodymium metal, establishing a new application for light rare earths in heavy-rare-earth-free magnet materials. The company responded to technological changes in the rare earth permanent magnet industry and downstream demand for lightweight magnet products, supporting the commercial deployment of praseodymium in this emerging segment.
US miner 3 Proton Lithium (3PL) has confirmed a large tungsten deposit at its Railroad Valley Minerals Project in eastern Nevada, with an estimated resource of about 1.78 million tons valued at approximately $152 billion at current prices. The company has raised nearly $50 million and is seeking to overturn a 2023 mining and exploration ban imposed at NASA's request. Global tungsten prices have risen nearly 600% since February 2025. The Railroad Valley portion was added to the federal FAST-41 fast-track program in 2025.