Export quota tender submitted via www.ec.com.cn. 57 companies participated in the tender and each company could submit only one tender. The minimum tender bid was 500 tonnes, and the maximum was reckoned according to the average annual amount of export and supply of the company in 2005-2007: max. 48% of the average annual amount of export and supply for the company* with at least 2,500 tonnes in 2005-2007, and max. 1,100 tonnes for those with less than 2,500 tonnes. Quota allocation was based on the pricing of the bid. A 10% of the bidding price would be collected before 28.02.2009 as a guarantee.      * average annual amount of export and supply = actual average annual export amount x 0.9 + actual average annual export value / national average unit export value x 0.1