HOHHOT - China will impose a tax on rare earth minerals starting April 1, according to a statement issued jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation to rare earth producers.

Related readings:  Rare earth prices are out of this world  China's rare earth market in short supply  2nd batch of rare earth export quotas to be announced in 2011  Top rare earth producer to boost output

Zhang Zhong, general manager of Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Co, the country's leading rare earth producer, confirmed Thursday that the company had received the statement.

According to the statement, the tax rate of mined light rare earths is 60 yuan ($9.1) per tonne, while that of medium and heavy rare earths is set at 30 yuan per tonne.

Zhang said the tax would increase the company's production costs by about 720 million yuan this year.