|
Home > Minerals > Rare Earths
This table presents detailed data on the quantities and values of rare-earth compounds exported from the United States, categorized by country or locality for the years 2021 and 2022. These exports encompass various types of rare-earth materials, including cerium compounds, lanthanum oxides, scandium or yttrium oxides, other oxides, chlorides, and unspecified rare-earth compounds. Tracking this information is crucial because rare-earth elements are vital components in numerous high-tech and clean energy applications, such as electronics, renewable energy technologies, and defense systems. Understanding export patterns helps assess the U.S. position in the global supply chain, economic competitiveness, and potential vulnerabilities related to strategic materials.
Analysis of the data reveals several notable trends between 2021 and 2022. The overall gross weight of rare-earth compound exports increased slightly from approximately 76 million kilograms to 76.3 million kilograms, while the total export value rose significantly from $310 million to $581 million, indicating higher prices or shifts toward more valuable compounds. China remains the dominant destination, especially for unspecified rare-earth compounds, with exports increasing in value from $268 million to $519 million despite a relatively stable gross weight around 74.8 million kilograms. Canada, the second-largest recipient of cerium compounds, saw an increase in quantity from 441,000 to 532,000 kilograms but a decrease in value from $2.15 million to $1.37 million. Other countries such as Germany and Taiwan showed mixed trends; Germany’s cerium compound exports decreased in weight but increased in value, while Taiwan’s exports increased in both weight and value. Additionally, chlorides exports more than doubled in quantity and nearly quadrupled in value, driven by significant increases to China and Australia. These shifts highlight evolving global demand and trade dynamics for rare-earth materials critical to advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.
| TABLE 4 | ||||||||||
| U.S. EXPORTS OF RARE-EARTH COMPOUNDS, BY COUNTRY OR LOCALITY1 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Schedule B | Gross weight | Gross weight | ||||||||
| Category and country or locality | number | (kilograms) | Value | (kilograms) | Value | |||||
| Cerium compounds: | 2846.10.0000 | |||||||||
| Canada | 441000 | 2150000 | 532000 | 1370000 | ||||||
| China | 47200 | 1870000 | 37600 | 1460000 | ||||||
| Estonia | 254000 | 1140000 | 197000 | 878000 | ||||||
| Germany | 71700 | 1450000 | 59100 | 1680000 | ||||||
| Korea, Republic of | 58600 | 1220000 | 11800 | 337000 | ||||||
| Taiwan | 94500 | 399000 | 122000 | 665000 | ||||||
| Other | 77000 | r | 1630000 | r | 91300 | 2710000 | ||||
| Total | 1040000 | 9860000 | 1050000 | 9100000 | ||||||
| Total estimated rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent content | 698000 | XX | 703000 | XX | ||||||
| Other rare-earth compounds: | ||||||||||
| Oxides: | ||||||||||
| Lanthanum oxides: | 2846.90.2005 | |||||||||
| Belgium | 97000 | 198000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| China | 28000 | 718000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Germany | 20000 | 47000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Korea, Republic of | 12400 | 165000 | 2170 | 269000 | ||||||
| Mexico | 11000 | 88700 | 6840 | 209000 | ||||||
| Other | 5820 | r | 85300 | r | 10600 | 2360000 | ||||
| Total | 174000 | 1300000 | 19600 | 2840000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 174000 | XX | 19600 | XX | ||||||
| Scandium or yttrium oxides: | 2846.90.2015 | |||||||||
| Finland | 8810 | 42000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| France | 5 | 4650 | 815 | 57600 | ||||||
| Mexico | -- | -- | 2160 | 60100 | ||||||
| Taiwan | 240 | 9600 | 342 | 18700 | ||||||
| Other | 168 | r | 83700 | r | 1140 | 164000 | ||||
| Total | 9230 | 140000 | 4450 | 300000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 9230 | XX | 4450 | XX | ||||||
| Other oxides: | 2846.90.2040 | |||||||||
| China | 6690 | 71600 | 34 | 18800 | ||||||
| Finland | 8620 | 48300 | 7330 | 34900 | ||||||
| Korea, Republic of | 9 | 8650 | 3500 | 28700 | ||||||
| Netherlands | 2900 | 135000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2700 | 14900 | 3430000 | ||||||
| Switzerland | 2160 | 1850000 | 1850 | 1500000 | ||||||
| United Kingdom | 629 | 203000 | 3460 | 36200 | ||||||
| Other | 1320 | r | 146000 | r | 3520 | 217000 | ||||
| Total | 22300 | 2470000 | 34600 | 5260000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 22300 | XX | 34600 | XX | ||||||
| Chlorides: | 2846.90.2060 | |||||||||
| Australia | 2350 | 5730 | 15400 | 37400 | ||||||
| China | 2 | 3080 | 5200 | 2900000 | ||||||
| Finland | 1 | 6620 | 4580 | 21800 | ||||||
| Mexico | 12100 | 144000 | 2750 | 13100 | ||||||
| Other | 2030 | r | 614000 | r | 1330 | 88200 | ||||
| Total | 16400 | 774000 | 29200 | 3060000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 7570 | XX | 13400 | XX | ||||||
| Unspecified rare-earth compounds: | 2846.90.9000 | |||||||||
| China | 73200000 | r | 268000000 | 74800000 | 519000000 | |||||
| Other | 1530000 | 27100000 | 339000 | 41600000 | ||||||
| Total | 74800000 | r | 295000000 | 75200000 | 560000000 | |||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 43300000 | XX | 45100000 | XX | ||||||
| Total, other rare-earth compounds | 75000000 | r | 300000000 | 75300000 | 572000000 | |||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 43500000 | XX | 45200000 | XX | ||||||
| Grand total | 76000000 | r | 310000000 | 76300000 | 581000000 | |||||
| Grand total estimated REO equivalent content | 44200000 | XX | 45900000 | XX | ||||||
rRevised. XX Not applicable. -- Zero.
1Table includes data available through July 14, 2023. Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Rare Earths statistics | Mineral commodity prices