Rare earths

World mine production and reserves, 2024–2025

On the U.S. 2025 critical minerals listUSGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026

Share of world mine production (REO equivalent), 2025 · world total 390,000 metric tons

0%50%100%

• China 69%
• United States 13%
• Australia 7.4%
• Burma (Myanmar) 5.6%
• Thailand 1.2%
• India 0.7%
• Madagascar 0.7%
• Russia 0.7%
• All other countries 1.3%

China accounted for 69% of world mine production of rare earths in 2025 (270,000 metric tons of 390,000 metric tons). U.S. imports of rare earths (compounds) rose from 7,730 metric tons in 2021 to 21,000 metric tons in 2025 (rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent). The three largest producers, China, the United States, and Australia, together supplied 90%. Net imports covered 67% of U.S. compounds and metals consumption in 2025.

Producer log

16 countries listed separately

World mine production and reserves. Units: metric tons, rare-earth-oxide equivalent. 2025 figures are USGS estimates.

Country	Mine production (REO equivalent) 2024	Mine production (REO equivalent) 2025	Share of world 2025	Change on 2024	Reserves
China	270,000	270,000	69%	0%	44,000,000
United States	45,500	51,000	13%	+12%	1,900,000
Australia	29,000	29,000	7.4%	0%	6,300,000
Burma (Myanmar)	27,000	22,000	5.6%	−18%	not available
Thailand	2,100	4,800	1.2%	+129%	not available
India	2,900	2,900	0.7%	0%	not available
Madagascar	1,400	2,700	0.7%	+93%	not available
Russia	2,600	2,600	0.7%	0%	3,800,000
Brazil	560	2,000	0.5%	+257%	11,000,000
Nigeria	1,500	1,500	0.4%	0%	not available
Vietnam	300	150	under 0.1%	−50%	3,500,000
Malaysia	140	110	under 0.1%	−21%	710,000
Canada	0	0			830,000
Greenland	0	0			1,500,000
South Africa	0	0			860,000
Tanzania	0	0			890,000
Other countries	1,000	550	0.1%		not available
World total	380,000	390,000	100%	+2.6%	more than 75,000,000

United States

supply, trade and import sources

67%

Net import reliance (compounds and metals) in 2025, as a percentage of apparent consumption.

2021>95

2022>95

2023>90

202453

202567

Import sources of rare-earth compounds and metals, 2021–24

• China 71%
• Malaysia 13%
• Japan 5%
• Estonia 5%
• Other countries 6%

Uses named for it in the 2025 critical minerals list: permanent magnets, catalysts, batteries, and polishing.

United States, 2021–2025 (metric tons, rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent, unless the row says otherwise). W = withheld by USGS; NA = not available; 2025 estimated.

Item	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Production: Mineral concentrates	42,400	42,500	41,600	45,500	51,000
Production: Compounds and metals	120	95	800	4,300	8,900
Imports: Compounds	7,730	10,800	8,970	8,120	21,000
Imports — Metals: Ferrocerium, alloys	330	395	259	238	1,100
Imports — Metals: Rare-earth metals and alloys	579	487	476	96	350
Exports: Ores and compounds	45,700	45,900	20,700	37,500	14,000
Exports — Metals: Ferrocerium, alloys	825	1,520	817	902	890
Exports — Metals: Rare-earth metals and alloys	20	24	63	347	430
Consumption, apparent, compounds and metals	7,900	10,200	8,600	9,010	27,000
Employment, mine and mill, annual average, number	293	350	450	570	670
Net import reliance as a percentage of apparent consumption: Mineral concentrates	net exporter	net exporter	net exporter	net exporter	net exporter

Open in the producer explorerWho produces the U.S. critical minerals

Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Rare earths chapter (PDF page 160). How to read these figures.