IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/recore/v125y2017icp363-374.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Embodied rare earths flow between industrial sectors in China: A complex network approach

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Xibo
  • Wei, Wendong
  • Ge, Jianping
  • Wu, Bin
  • Bu, Wei
  • Li, Jiashuo
  • Yao, Mingtao
  • Guan, Qing

Abstract

Both the direct and indirect need of rare earths (RE) as an important raw material has driven the transfer of RE between different sectors, forming a complex network of RE flows in the economy. However, previous studies have focused primarily on the direct use of RE and neglected the indirect effect and the network characteristics that greatly hinders the sustainable use of RE. To solve this problem, this paper builds an embodied RE network by combining both input-output analysis and complex network theory. By analyzing the clustering coefficient and the average path length of the network, we find that the embodied RE flow network can reveal the small world nature characteristics. Moreover, chemicals and the scrap sector are the strongest sectors of the direct effect, indirect effect and intermediate effect based on the comprehensive analysis of the network’s degree centrality, eigenvector centrality, and betweenness centrality, respectively. Furthermore, the establishment of embodied RE flow relations is focused on the related sectors of infrastructure construction and the petrochemical industry based on the analysis of each sector’s weighted edges that carry embodied RE flow. Furthermore, the 41 sectors of an embodied RE flow network can be divided into four industrial clusters that are related closely to each other. Among the clusters, the E&C cluster is the core of the entire network. Finally, we provide policy implications on the sustainable use of RE through industrial restructuring.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:125:y:2017:i:c:p:363-374
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.07.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344917301854
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.07.006?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. Li, J.S. & Xia, X.H. & Chen, G.Q. & Alsaedi, A. & Hayat, T., 2016. "Optimal embodied energy abatement strategy for Beijing economy: Based on a three-scale input-output analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1602-1610.
    2. Vasco M. Carvalho, 2014. "From Micro to Macro via Production Networks," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(4), pages 23-48, Fall.
    3. Xibo Wang & Mingtao Yao & Jiashuo Li & Kexue Zhang & He Zhu & Minsi Zheng, 2017. "China’s Rare Earths Production Forecasting and Sustainable Development Policy Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Dai, Jing & Fath, Brian & Chen, Bin, 2012. "Constructing a network of the social-economic consumption system of China using extended exergy analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(7), pages 4796-4808.
    5. Vasco M. Carvalho, 2014. "From Micro to Macro via Production Networks," Working Papers 793, Barcelona School of Economics.
    6. Xibo Wang & Jianping Ge & Wendong Wei & Hanshi Li & Chen Wu & Ge Zhu, 2016. "Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-22, May.
    7. Bullard, Clark W. & Herendeen, Robert A., 1975. "The energy cost of goods and services," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 268-278, December.
    8. Fath, Brian D. & Scharler, Ursula M. & Ulanowicz, Robert E. & Hannon, Bruce, 2007. "Ecological network analysis: network construction," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(1), pages 49-55.
    9. An, Haizhong & Zhong, Weiqiong & Chen, Yurong & Li, Huajiao & Gao, Xiangyun, 2014. "Features and evolution of international crude oil trade relationships: A trading-based network analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 254-259.
    10. 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.
    11. Jiali Huang & Robert E Ulanowicz, 2014. "Ecological Network Analysis for Economic Systems: Growth and Development and Implications for Sustainable Development," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(6), pages 1-8, June.
    12. Faye Duchin & Stephen H. Levine, 2013. "Embodied Resource Flows in a Global Economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(1), pages 65-78, February.
    13. Han, Aiping & Ge, Jianping & Lei, Yalin, 2015. "An adjustment in regulation policies and its effects on market supply: Game analysis for China’s rare earths," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P2), pages 30-42.
    14. Chunyan He & Yalin Lei & Jianping Ge, 2014. "Assessment of Trading Partners for China's Rare Earth Exports Using a Decision Analytic Approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(7), pages 1-13, July.
    15. Wang, Xibo & Lei, Yalin & Ge, Jianping & Wu, Sanmang, 2015. "Production forecast of China׳s rare earths based on the Generalized Weng model and policy recommendations," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 11-18.
    16. Chen, G.Q. & Li, J.S. & Chen, B. & Wen, C. & Yang, Q. & Alsaedi, A. & Hayat, T., 2016. "An overview of mercury emissions by global fuel combustion: The impact of international trade," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 345-355.
    17. Li, J.S. & Chen, G.Q., 2013. "Energy and greenhouse gas emissions review for Macao," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 23-32.
    18. 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.
    19. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Gao, Xiangyun & Lv, Na, 2015. "Analysis of embodied exergy flow between Chinese industries based on network theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 26-35.
    20. Ju, L.P. & Chen, B., 2011. "Embodied energy and emergy evaluation of a typical biodiesel production chain in China," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(14), pages 2385-2392.
    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. 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).
    2. 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).
    3. Kehan He & Zhifu Mi & Long Chen & D'Maris Coffman & Sai Liang, 2021. "Critical transmission sectors in embodied atmospheric mercury emission network in China," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(6), pages 1644-1656, December.
    4. 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).
    5. Li, Weidong & Wang, Anjian & Zhong, Weiqiong & Xing, Wanli & Liu, Jinna, 2022. "The role of mineral-related industries in Chinese industrial pattern," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Ge, Zewen & Geng, Yong & Wei, Wendong & Zhong, Chen, 2022. "Assessing samarium resource efficiency in China: A dynamic material flow analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

    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. 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.
    2. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Gao, Xiangyun & Lv, Na, 2015. "Analysis of embodied exergy flow between Chinese industries based on network theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 26-35.
    3. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. He, Xijun & Dong, Yanbo & Wu, Yuying & Wei, Guodan & Xing, Lizhi & Yan, Jia, 2017. "Structure analysis and core community detection of embodied resources networks among regional industries," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 479(C), pages 137-150.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Han, Aiping & Ge, Jianping & Lei, Yalin, 2016. "Vertical vs. horizontal integration: Game analysis for the rare earth industrial integration in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 149-159.
    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. Zhu, Zhiyun & Dong, Zhiliang & Zhang, Yanxing & Suo, Guibin & Liu, Sen, 2020. "Strategic mineral resource competition: Strategies of the dominator and nondominator," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    12. Li, J.S. & Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B. & Yang, Q. & Wei, W.D. & Wang, P. & Dong, K.Q. & Chen, H.P., 2017. "The impact of trade on fuel-related mercury emissions in Beijing—evidence from three-scale input-output analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 742-752.
    13. Xibo Wang & Jianping Ge & Wendong Wei & Hanshi Li & Chen Wu & Ge Zhu, 2016. "Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-22, May.
    14. Chen, B. & Yang, Q. & Zhou, Sili & Li, J.S. & Chen, G.Q., 2017. "Urban economy's carbon flow through external trade: Spatial-temporal evolution for Macao," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 69-78.
    15. Kan, S.Y. & Chen, B. & Wu, X.F. & Chen, Z.M. & Chen, G.Q., 2019. "Natural gas overview for world economy: From primary supply to final demand via global supply chains," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 215-225.
    16. Fernandez, Viviana, 2017. "Rare-earth elements market: A historical and financial perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 26-45.
    17. 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).
    18. Lo Turco, Alessia & Maggioni, Daniela & Zazzaro, Alberto, 2019. "Financial dependence and growth: The role of input-output linkages," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 308-328.
    19. Peydró, José-Luis & Jiménez, Gabriel & Kenan, Huremovic & Moral-Benito, Enrique & Vega-Redondo, Fernando, 2020. "Production and financial networks in interplay: Crisis evidence from supplier-customer and credit registers," CEPR Discussion Papers 15277, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. 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).

    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:recore:v:125:y:2017:i:c:p:363-374. 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: Kai Meng (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/resources-conservation-and-recycling .

    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.