Holmium Price: Range, Benchmarks and Drivers
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
USGS reports the average 2025 price of holmium at $70/kg (holmium oxide, 99.5% minimum, average; +4% on 2024). The price has changed by an average of -16% a year since 2021. The table gives the annual averages for each year available, and the sections after it give the dealer price where one is listed and the recent events the sources report.
$70/kg
holmium oxide, 99.5% minimum, average, 2025 estimate
+4%
change in the 2025 average price from 2024
-16%
average annual change in price from 2021 to 2025
Holmium price: what the sources report
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmium oxide, 99.5% minimum, average | dollars per kilogram | 140 | 180 | 91 | 67 | 70 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Rare earths (heavy). The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
What recent events affect the holmium market?
- October to November 2025. China added holmium to its rare earth export controls in October 2025 and suspended that expansion for one year in November. The April 2025 controls remained in effect.
Frequently asked questions
How much does holmium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of holmium at $70/kg (holmium oxide, 99.5% minimum, average; +4% on 2024).
Which country produces the most holmium?
USGS does not report holmium 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 holmium a critical mineral?
Yes. Holmium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Holmium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for holmium in 2025 was 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals.
What is holmium used for?
Holmium is used in heavy rare earth uses. Heavy rare earth uses: USGS says heavy rare earths are used in catalysts for petroleum refining, fiber optics, high-strength magnets, industrial and medical lasers, and medical and scientific equipment such as portable X-rays, and that end use varies by element.
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 (heavy). 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
- 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
- China Northern Rare Earth: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (17 April 2026)
- Boston Scientific: Lumenis Pulse 120H holmium laser system
Related topics
Holmium: full profile
Uses, producers, price, substitutes and critical list status for holmium.
Holmium supply chain and top producers
The supply chain page for holmium.
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.
