Lutetium (Lu): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Lutetium is a heavy rare earth element and one of the two least abundant, with an oxide price of $888 per kilogram in 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 lutetium in 2025 was 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals. Lutetium 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
$888/kg
lutetium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average in 2025 (+14% on 2024)
Which countries produce lutetium?
| 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 lutetium used for?
- 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.
- Limited by cost: USGS reported in 2002 that several promising lutetium applications were known but most were precluded by high cost, and that thulium and lutetium are nearly 200 times more common in the crust than gold
How much does lutetium cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lutetium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average | dollars per kilogram | 811 | 814 | 829 | 780 | 888 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Rare earths. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
Is lutetium a critical mineral?
Lutetium 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 lutetium?
| Application | Substitute and trade-off |
|---|---|
| Several applications | Light rare earths can substitute for heavy rare earths, though substitutes are generally 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.
What are the supply risks and recent events for lutetium?
- 2026. Lynas lists lutetium as the last of the products in its heavy rare earth expansion at Lynas Malaysia, after gadolinium, yttrium and more samarium capacity (Lynas, 26 August 2026).
- April to November 2025. China added lutetium 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.
- 2025. The average lutetium oxide price rose 14% to $888 per kilogram, the second highest of the itemised rare earths after terbium.
- October to November 2025. An Australian producer announced its intent to build a facility in Malaysia to separate heavy rare earths including terbium, dysprosium and lutetium. A mine in Brazil produced mixed concentrates from ionic clays with elevated terbium and dysprosium, and in November the US International Development Finance Corporation approved a $465 million loan to the company to increase heavy rare earth production.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Lutetium compounds and metals: China, 100%. (USGS)
Which companies produce or process lutetium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynas Rare Earths | Australia and Malaysia | Rare earth miner and separator, planning lutetium (ASX: LYC) | Its 2026 annual report lists lutetium after gadolinium, yttrium and more samarium capacity in the sequence for its Malaysian heavy rare earth expansion, which it now puts at about A$294 million, up from about A$180 million. Lynas Rare Earths: 2026 Annual Report and Appendix 4E (26 August 2026) |
| Aclara Resources | Canada (Carina project in Brazil) | Developer of an ionic clay heavy rare earth project (TSX: ARA) | Its April 2026 release expects 10 tonnes a year of lutetium from the Carina project over an 18-year mine life. Aclara Resources: release on the Carina and Project Dynamo technical reports (13 April 2026) |
| China Northern Rare Earth | China | Rare earth producer (SSE: 600111) | Its 2025 annual report, in Chinese, lists lutetium oxide among its main products, for optical materials, laser applications and semiconductors. China Northern Rare Earth: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (17 April 2026) |
| China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology | China | Ionic clay rare earth separator (SZSE: 000831) | Its 2025 annual report, in Chinese, names lutetium among the elements its Yongzhou Rare Earth plant can separate to 99.99% to 99.999% purity. China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (April 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What is lutetium used for?
Lutetium is used in heavy rare earth uses and limited by cost. 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.
Which country produces the most lutetium?
USGS does not report lutetium 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 lutetium a critical mineral?
Yes. Lutetium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Lutetium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for lutetium in 2025 was 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals.
How much does lutetium cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of lutetium at $888/kg (lutetium oxide, 99.99% minimum, average; +14% 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: Rare earths (heavy)
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (April 2026)
Related topics
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.
Cerium
Profile of cerium.
Dysprosium
Profile of dysprosium.
