Rare Earths – Production, Reserves and Supply Concentration

A group of elements used in permanent magnets, catalysts, polishing compounds and electronics.Mine production and reserves are measured as rare-earth-oxide equivalent, grouping the rare-earth elements in the source statistics.

Basis: Reserves · Unit: metric tons · Global Implied Reserve Life: 217.9 years

China leads the 2025 USGS country table for mine production, with 270,000 metric tons (estimated) (69.2% of the reported world total). World output was 390,000 metric tons in 2025.

China ranks first in the USGS reserve table, with 44,000,000 metric tons (Reserves) against a reported world total of >85,000,000 metric tons.

In 2025, US net import reliance was reported at 67% (Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption: Compounds and metals). Across 2021-24, leading US import sources (Rare-earth compounds and metals) were China (71%), Malaysia (13%), Estonia (5%).

Status: Group profile (15 listed elements) (2022 & 2025 lists). Primary applications cited in USGS summaries include: Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets for EV traction motors and wind turbines, fluid-cracking catalysts, lasers, and phosphors. Commercial rare-earth supply comes chiefly from bastnäsite, monazite, loparite, and ion-adsorption clay deposits. Mine and reserve statistics are reported on a combined rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent basis rather than by separated element.

Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets for EV traction motors and wind turbines, fluid-cracking catalysts, lasers, and phosphors.

Commercial rare-earth supply comes chiefly from bastnäsite, monazite, loparite, and ion-adsorption clay deposits. Mine and reserve statistics are reported on a combined rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent basis rather than by separated element.