Exports of the group of 17 minerals from the world's largest producer were 4,307 tonnes, up from 4,087.60 tonnes in December 2021, the data showed.

The month-on-month increase was 46.2% from November's 2,949.60 tonnes, a two-year low.

For 2022, China shipped out 48,728 tonnes of the minerals, down 0.4% from the previous year.

(Reporting by Siyi Liu and Dominique Patton; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Tom Hogue)