Thulium Companies: Producers and Processors
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
The companies below produce, process or use thulium. Each row cites the document that says what the company does with the metal; the list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
390,000 t
estimated world production of all rare earths combined in 2025
Which companies produce or process thulium?
| Company | Country | Role | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology | China | Ionic clay rare earth separator (SZSE: 000831) | Its 2025 annual report, in Chinese, names thulium among the elements its Yongzhou Rare Earth plant can separate to 99.99% to 99.999% purity, with full separation of 15 rare earth elements from ionic clay concentrate. China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (April 2026) |
| IPG Photonics | United States | Fiber laser maker, a user of thulium-doped fiber (Nasdaq: IPGP) | Its 10-K names thulium as one of three gain media for its fiber lasers, with ytterbium and erbium, lists single-mode thulium fiber lasers with power of up to 4,000 watts, and says it makes medical laser systems and fibers mainly for urology using its thulium fiber laser technology. IPG Photonics, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 23 February 2026) |
Each row links to the document that supports it. The list is not exhaustive and is not a ranking.
What do the sources say about thulium companies?
- USGS names no company that produces thulium and gives no price, production or import-source figure for it.
- Lynas's 2026 results list dysprosium, terbium and samarium as its separated heavy rare earth products and gadolinium, yttrium and lutetium as the next ones; thulium is not on the list.
- Iluka Resources' half-year results describe an Eneabba refinery in Western Australia, still under construction, with a planned product suite of neodymium-praseodymium oxide, dysprosium-terbium oxide and a heavy rare earth plus yttrium carbonate, and an option to add separation of further products such as yttrium oxide.
Frequently asked questions
What is thulium used for?
Thulium is used in heavy rare earth uses and magnetic properties. 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 thulium?
USGS does not report thulium 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 thulium a critical mineral?
Yes. Thulium is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Thulium was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for thulium in 2025 was 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals.
Which companies produce thulium?
Companies named on this site that produce or process thulium include China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology.
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
- 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
- China Rare Earth Group Resource Technology: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (April 2026)
- IPG Photonics, Form 10-K for 2025 (filed 23 February 2026)
Related topics
Thulium: full profile
Uses, producers, price, substitutes and critical list status for thulium.
Thulium supply chain and top producers
The supply chain page for thulium.
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.
