Price

Lanthanum Pricing and Market Data

Lanthanum oxide trades at $2-5/kg, making it one of the lowest-value rare earths alongside cerium. During the 2010-2011 crisis, prices briefly spiked to ~$140/kg. The structural oversupply of lanthanum (abundant in REE ores but with moderate demand) keeps prices low. Like cerium, lanthanum is a balancing problem for rare earth miners who mine it alongside the more valuable neodymium and praseodymium.

Pricing Mechanisms

Lanthanum is priced using benchmarks from Asian Metals/Shanghai Metals Market. Lanthanum pricing operates through a combination of exchange-based benchmarks, price reporting agency assessments, bilateral negotiation, and long-term offtake contracts. The specific mechanism depends on product form, grade, and the buyer-seller relationship.

Price History and Notable Market Events

The Lanthanum market has been shaped by the following key events:

Price Drivers

Key factors influencing Lanthanum prices include production levels in China (62% of global supply), demand from petroleum refining catalysts and hybrid vehicle batteries (nimh), inventory levels, energy costs, and government policy actions such as export restrictions or strategic stockpiling.

Spot vs. Contract Pricing

The Lanthanum market features both spot transactions and longer-term contracts. Spot prices reflect current conditions and are more volatile, while multi-year offtake agreements provide supply security for both producers and consumers. Current spot pricing is in the range of 3-6 $/kg oxide.