Critical Minerals vs Rare Earths: Understanding the Difference
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Rare earths are a group of 17 chemically similar elements and a subset of critical minerals, not a synonym for them. Every official critical minerals list includes rare earths, but the lists run to 34 to 60 entries and cover lithium, cobalt, graphite, gallium, tungsten and many others. The EU's 2023 assessment found rare earths among the most concentrated supply chains, with China processing 100% of heavy rare earths and 85% of light ones, but gallium, magnesium and tungsten are almost as concentrated.
15 of 60
entries on the 2025 U.S. list that are individual rare earth elements, plus scandium
100%
share of heavy rare earth processing held by China in the EU's 2023 assessment; 85% for light rare earths
2012 to 2015
years of the WTO dispute over China's rare earth export restrictions
Source: WTO dispute DS431
How does each critical minerals list count rare earths?
The four lists count rare earths differently, so "number of critical minerals" and "number of rare earths" cannot be compared across jurisdictions without checking the grouping. Australia and Canada list rare earths as one entry, the EU as two groups, and the United States one element at a time.
| Jurisdiction | Total entries | Rare earth treatment |
|---|---|---|
| United States (2025) | 60 minerals | 15 rare earth elements listed individually, including yttrium, and scandium as its own entry. |
| European Union (2023, Regulation 2024/1252) | 34 critical raw materials | Heavy rare earth elements and light rare earth elements are two critical entries; scandium is separate. The strategic entry covers rare earths for permanent magnets: neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium. |
| Australia (2024) | 31 critical minerals | One entry for rare-earth elements, with high geological potential and 16 thousand tonnes of production in 2022; scandium is a separate entry. |
| Canada (2024) | 34 minerals | One entry for rare earth elements, one of the six priority minerals; scandium is a separate entry. |
Sources: Federal Register, Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Government of Canada.
How concentrated are rare earths compared with other critical minerals?
Rare earths are among the most concentrated critical minerals, but they are not alone. The EU's 2023 assessment records the largest supplier at the bottleneck stage of each material, and China tops the list for several others besides rare earths.
| Material | Bottleneck stage | Largest supplier | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy rare earths (for example dysprosium, terbium) | Processing | China | 100% |
| Light rare earths (for example neodymium) | Processing | China | 85% |
| Gallium | Processing | China | 94% |
| Magnesium | Processing | China | 91% |
| Tungsten | Processing | China | 86% |
| Natural graphite | Extraction | China | 67% |
| Cobalt | Extraction | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 63% |
Source: Study on the Critical Raw Materials for the EU 2023, Table A (global supply). Rare earth rows are the study's group averages.
Why do rare earths dominate the conversation?
Rare earths became the shorthand for mineral supply risk because they were the first group to produce a large trade dispute. The United States challenged China's export duties, quotas, minimum export prices and licensing for rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum at the WTO in March 2012, and the case ran until China notified implementation on 20 May 2015. Rare earth magnets also have a clear end use, which USGS lists as the leading global use for rare earths.
Why does the distinction matter?
The distinction matters because different critical minerals depend on different technologies and different suppliers. Batteries account for 88% of lithium end use according to USGS, while rare earths are used mainly in magnets and, in the United States, in catalysts. A policy or an investment built for rare earths does not secure lithium, gallium or cobalt, and the reverse is also true. The page on what critical minerals are describes the wider group, and the rare earth guide covers the 17 elements in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Are rare earths critical minerals?
Yes. Rare earths are on all four official critical minerals lists: the United States lists them individually, the EU lists heavy and light rare earths as two entries, and Australia and Canada list them as one entry. They are a subset of critical minerals, not a synonym for them.
How many critical minerals are rare earths?
It depends on the list. The 2025 U.S. list names 15 rare earth elements individually out of 60 entries, plus scandium. The EU lists two rare earth groups among 34 critical raw materials, and Australia and Canada list one entry each.
Is lithium a rare earth?
No. Lithium is its own entry on all four lists and is a priority mineral in Canada. Rare earths are a group of 17 chemically similar elements, which lithium does not belong to.
Which critical minerals are as concentrated in China as rare earths?
In the EU's 2023 assessment China held 94% of gallium processing, 91% of magnesium and 86% of tungsten, against 100% for heavy rare earths and 85% for light rare earths. Natural graphite extraction was 67% Chinese.
Sources
Read on October 12, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- European Commission: Study on the Critical Raw Materials for the EU 2023, Final Report. Table A read as a PDF
- WTO: DS431, China, Measures Related to the Exportation of Rare Earths, Tungsten and Molybdenum
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Annexes I and II
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: rare earths and lithium. End-use statements; lithium chapter at mcs2026-lithium.pdf
