A rare earth industry association consisting of approximately 90 Chinese rare earth developers and smelting enterprises is likely to be launched in May, the Guangzhou Daily reported Monday.

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Wang Caifeng, a former official of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), is in charge of the establishment of the rare earth association. She said the preparatory work has been settled, and that MIIT and civil administration departments have examined and approved advance materials of the association.

Heads of leading enterprises in the industry will take turns serving as chairman of the association. Executives of China Minmetals Corp, the China Nonferrous Metal Industry Foreign Engineering and Construction Co and Guangdong Rising Nonferrous Metals Group Co will be chosen as unit directors, the report said.

The new association will join hands with MIIT to lead a new round of restructuring and integration in the industry and establish a rare earth reserve system. Access standards for the rare earth industry are scheduled to be released in June or July, the newspaper said.