Gadolinium (Gd): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
Gadolinium is a rare earth element used in permanent magnet alloys and fluorescent lamps, and it is one of the seven elements China added to export licensing in April 2025. USGS reports production only for all rare earths combined: in 2025 China produced an estimated 270,000 t of rare earth oxide equivalent, 69% of the world total (USGS world total: 390,000 t). US net import reliance for gadolinium in 2025 was 67% for rare earth compounds and metals as a group. Gadolinium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian.
390,000 t
estimated world production of all rare earths combined in 2025
$30/kg
gadolinium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average in 2025 (+7% on 2024)
Which countries produce gadolinium?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 270,000 | 270,000 | 69% | 44,000,000 |
| United States | 45,500 | 51,000 | 13% | 1,900,000 |
| Australia | 29,000 | 29,000 | 7.4% | 6,300,000 |
| Burma | 27,000 | 22,000 | 5.6% | NA |
| All other countries | 12,500 | 17,310 | 4.4% | NA |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 380,000 | 390,000 | 100% | >75,000,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Rare earths. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data. USGS reports mine production only for all rare earths combined (as rare earth oxide equivalent), not for individual elements.
What is gadolinium used for?
- Permanent magnets: alloys containing neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium or praseodymium (USGS, 2002); the EU lists gadolinium among the rare earths for permanent magnets
- Magnetic refrigeration: USGS reported in 2002 that a newly developed gadolinium-silicon-germanium alloy with a giant magnetocaloric effect near room temperature could make magnetic refrigeration competitive with gas compression
- Fluorescent lamps: energy-efficient lamps use yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, europium, gadolinium and terbium (USGS, 2002)
How much does gadolinium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of gadolinium at $30/kg (gadolinium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average; +7% on 2024). Full gadolinium price page.
Is gadolinium a critical mineral?
Gadolinium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical and strategic |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Critical (priority) |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
Export controls and trade measures
- China has required export licenses for rare earths since 2025. USGS lists this element among those added in the April 2025 measures: samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium.
See the export controls tracker for dates and current status.
What are the substitutes for gadolinium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Most applications | USGS says substitutes for rare earths are available for many applications but generally are less effective |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Rare earths. USGS says substitutes often cost performance or money; the table gives its wording for each application.
Can gadolinium be recycled?
Limited quantities of rare earths were recovered from batteries, permanent magnets and fluorescent lamps.
What are the supply risks and recent events for gadolinium?
- 2026. Lynas says the next product in its heavy rare earth expansion at Lynas Malaysia is gadolinium oxide, expected in early financial year 2028 (the year to June 2028), with yttrium expected in early calendar 2028 and lutetium to follow. The expansion cost estimate rose from about A$180 million to about A$294 million (Lynas, 26 August 2026).
- April to November 2025. China added gadolinium to its export controls in April 2025. The April controls remained in effect as of December 2025, although China began to issue general export licenses to selected exporters.
Which companies produce or process gadolinium?
6 companies are profiled, including Lynas Rare Earths, MP Materials, Energy Fuels. Full gadolinium companies page.
Frequently asked questions
What is gadolinium used for?
Gadolinium is used in permanent magnets, magnetic refrigeration and fluorescent lamps. Permanent magnets: alloys containing neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium or praseodymium (USGS, 2002); the EU lists gadolinium among the rare earths for permanent magnets.
Which country produces the most gadolinium?
USGS does not report gadolinium separately; China produced the most rare earths of any country in 2025, an estimated 270,000 t (69%) of the world's 390,000 t of rare earth oxide equivalent.
Is gadolinium a critical mineral?
Yes. Gadolinium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Gadolinium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for gadolinium in 2025 was 67% for rare earth compounds and metals as a group.
How much does gadolinium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of gadolinium at $30/kg (gadolinium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average; +7% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Rare earths. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 4, export controls by country)
- Lynas Rare Earths: 2026 Annual Report and Appendix 4E (26 August 2026). Company statements on its heavy rare earth products and plans
- USGS Fact Sheet 087-02: Rare Earth Elements, Critical Resources for High Technology (2002). Used for the uses of individual elements; it dates from 2002
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Annex I. Lists neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium as rare earths for permanent magnets
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- MP Materials: second quarter 2026 results (6 August 2026)
- Energy Fuels, Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 June 2026
- Solvay: roadshow presentation after first-quarter 2026 results
- Aclara Resources: release on the Carina and Project Dynamo technical reports (13 April 2026)
- China Northern Rare Earth: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (17 April 2026)
Related topics
Gadolinium companies
The companies page for gadolinium.
Gadolinium price
The price page for gadolinium.
China profile
Production, policy and projects in China.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
Export Controls and Restrictions
China, Indonesia, DR Congo and other measures with dates.
The 17 Rare Earth Elements
Every rare earth with its group, price and control status.
