Thulium Supply Chain: Producers and Processing
Facts checked against sources on . How we check facts.
Thulium is a heavy rare earth element and, with lutetium, one of the two least abundant; USGS reports no price for it. 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 thulium in 2025 was 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals. Thulium 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
Which countries produce thulium?
| 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.
How is thulium traded and what limits supply?
- October to November 2025. China added thulium 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.
Export controls and trade measures
- China has required export licenses for rare earths since 2025. USGS lists this element among those added in October 2025 (europium, holmium, erbium, thulium and ytterbium), which China suspended for one year in November 2025; the April 2025 controls remained in effect.
Resources. USGS noted in 2002 that thulium and lutetium are the two least abundant rare earths and are nearly 200 times more common in the crust than gold.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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 Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 4, export controls by country)
- 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 companies
The companies 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.
