Jiuyuan district of Baotou, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, won a rare earth sulfide ecofriendly pigment project worth 1 billion yuan ($158 million), according to a Jan 26 Baotou Daily report.

The project, to be developed in Jiuyuan district, will be funded by Inner Mongolia Kalesi Rare Earth Environmentally-friendly Pigment Co. The project is expected to produce 10,000 tons of ecofriendly rare earth pigment each year.  

Work on the first phase of the project, mainly including a rare earth sulfide ecofriendly pigment production line which is to produce 500 tons annually, is scheduled to begin in February. The first phase of the project is expected to go into operation in June. The total revenue is to hit 120 million yuan.