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This table presents detailed data on the quantities and values of rare-earth metals and alloys imported into the United States, broken down by country or locality of origin for the years 2021 and 2022. These imports include various categories such as ferrocerium and other pyrophoric alloys, as well as unalloyed rare-earth metals like lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium. Understanding this data is crucial because rare-earth elements are essential components in a wide range of high-tech and clean energy applications, including electronics, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense systems. Tracking import sources and volumes helps assess supply chain vulnerabilities and informs economic and industrial policy decisions aimed at securing access to these critical materials.
Analysis of the data reveals several notable trends between 2021 and 2022. Total imports by gross weight increased from 858,000 kilograms in 2021 to 805,000 kilograms in 2022, while the total value decreased from $22.5 million to $17.8 million, indicating a shift in the composition or pricing of imports. China remains the dominant supplier across most categories, though its shipments of lanthanum dropped sharply from 207,000 kilograms valued at $1.32 million in 2021 to 76,200 kilograms worth $1.93 million in 2022, suggesting a significant reduction in volume but an increase in unit value. Imports from Austria and Ireland showed emerging importance, with Austria increasing ferrocerium alloy imports from 50,900 to 92,100 kilograms and Ireland entering the market with 63,900 kilograms valued at $580,000 in 2022. Praseodymium imports surged dramatically, rising from just 5 kilograms valued at $12,300 in 2021 to 46,900 kilograms worth $5.7 million in 2022, largely driven by increased shipments from China. Conversely, imports of other rare-earth metals, unalloyed, decreased from 33,900 to 82,300 kilograms, with a notable absence of Russian imports in 2022. These shifts underscore evolving global trade dynamics and highlight the importance of diversifying supply sources for rare-earth materials.
| TABLE 7 | ||||||||||
| U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF RARE-EARTH METALS AND ALLOYS, BY COUNTRY OR LOCALITY1 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||||
| Gross weight | Gross weight | |||||||||
| Category and country or locality | HTS code2 | (kilograms) | Value | (kilograms) | Value | |||||
| Ferrocerium and other pyrophoric alloys: | 3606.90.3000, | |||||||||
| 3606.90.3010, | ||||||||||
| 3606.90.3090 | ||||||||||
| Austria | 50900 | 534000 | 92100 | 911000 | ||||||
| China | 159000 | 2070000 | 130000 | 2030000 | ||||||
| Ireland | -- | -- | 63900 | 580000 | ||||||
| Spain | 113000 | 2280000 | 113000 | 1870000 | ||||||
| Other | 48000 | r | 356000 | r | 46900 | 384000 | ||||
| Total | 371000 | 5240000 | 446000 | 5770000 | ||||||
| Total estimated rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent content | 330000 | XX | 396000 | XX | ||||||
| Rare-earth metals and alloys: | ||||||||||
| Lanthanum, unalloyed: | 2805.30.0005 | |||||||||
| China | 207000 | 1320000 | 76200 | 1930000 | ||||||
| Other | 2070 | 165000 | 2770 | 227000 | ||||||
| Total | 210000 | 1480000 | 79000 | 2160000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 246000 | XX | 92600 | XX | ||||||
| Cerium, unalloyed: | 2805.30.0010 | |||||||||
| China | 68600 | 508000 | 38700 | 403000 | ||||||
| Other | 1190 | 74100 | 10 | 3300 | ||||||
| Total | 69800 | 582000 | 38700 | 406000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 85700 | XX | 47600 | XX | ||||||
| Praseodymium, unalloyed: | 2805.30.0015 | |||||||||
| Austria | -- | -- | 1500 | 250000 | ||||||
| China | 5 | 12300 | 44000 | 5350000 | ||||||
| United Kingdom | -- | -- | 1400 | 100000 | ||||||
| Total | 5 | 12300 | 46900 | 5700000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 6.04 | XX | 56700 | XX | ||||||
| Neodymium, unalloyed: | 2805.30.0020 | |||||||||
| China | 14300 | 350000 | 1320 | 37500 | ||||||
| United Kingdom | 100 | 21000 | 1 | 2990 | ||||||
| Total | 14400 | 371000 | 1320 | 40500 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 16800 | XX | 1540 | XX | ||||||
| Other rare-earth metals, unalloyed: | 2805.30.0050 | |||||||||
| China | 20700 | 5500000 | 81600 | 6670000 | ||||||
| Russia | 13100 | 5530000 | -- | -- | ||||||
| Other | 13 | 22100 | 718 | 158000 | ||||||
| Total | 33900 | 11000000 | 82300 | 6820000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 40600 | XX | 98700 | XX | ||||||
| Other rare-earth metals, alloys: | 2805.30.0090 | |||||||||
| China | 151000 | 3140000 | 154000 | 2140000 | ||||||
| Other | 8330 | 624000 | 3770 | 419000 | ||||||
| Total | 159000 | 3760000 | 158000 | 2560000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 191000 | XX | 190000 | XX | ||||||
| Total, rare-earth metals and alloys | 487000 | 17300000 | 406000 | 17700000 | ||||||
| Total estimated REO equivalent content | 580000 | XX | 487000 | XX | ||||||
| Grand total | 858000 | 22500000 | 805000 | 17800000 | ||||||
| Grand total estimated REO equivalent content | 909000 | XX | 826000 | 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.
2Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States code.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: United States Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program
See also: Rare Earths statistics | Mineral commodity prices