The 17 Rare Earth Elements
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The 17 rare earth elements are scandium, yttrium and the 15 lanthanides: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium. Prices differ by more than a thousandfold across the group: the US Geological Survey reports average 2025 oxide prices of $1 per kilogram for lanthanum and $1,010 for terbium. Twelve of the 17 appear in China's 2025 export control measures.
$1,010/kg
average 2025 terbium oxide price, the highest of the elements with an itemised price
Source: USGS rare earths (heavy)
7
elements licensed by China since April 2025: Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu, Sc and Y
Source: USGS rare earths
5
more elements added in October 2025 (Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) and suspended in November for a year
Source: USGS rare earths
What are the 17 rare earth elements?
The table lists each element in order of atomic number with its group, its 2025 average oxide price and its status under China's 2025 controls. Prices are annual averages free on board, from Argus Media and Asian Metal as cited by the USGS, mostly for oxides of 99.5% to 99.99% purity. They reflect Chinese-origin pricing and are not what a buyer outside China pays for licensed material.
| Z | Element | Group | Oxide price 2025, $/kg | China control status | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Scandium (Sc) | Varies by source | - | Licensed since April 2025 | See the scandium profile |
| 39 | Yttrium (Y) | Heavy | 9 | Licensed since April 2025 | Ceramics, phosphors, yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers |
| 57 | Lanthanum (La) | Light | 1.00 | Not named in the 2025 measures | Catalysts, nickel-metal-hydride batteries |
| 58 | Cerium (Ce) | Light | 1.71 | Not named in the 2025 measures | Catalysts, glass polishing; named as a magnet rare earth in the EU |
| 59 | Praseodymium (Pr) | Light | 74 | Not named in the 2025 measures | Neodymium-iron-boron magnets |
| 60 | Neodymium (Nd) | Light | 73 | Not named in the 2025 measures | Neodymium-iron-boron magnets |
| 61 | Promethium (Pm) | Light | - | Not named in the 2025 measures | No stable isotope; not mined |
| 62 | Samarium (Sm) | Light or medium | 2.82 | Licensed since April 2025 | Samarium-cobalt magnets for high-temperature use |
| 63 | Europium (Eu) | Light or medium | 27 | In the October 2025 controls, suspended to 10 Nov 2026 | Phosphors in displays and lighting |
| 64 | Gadolinium (Gd) | Varies by source | 30 | Licensed since April 2025 | Named as a magnet rare earth in the EU; separated gadolinium has a defense offtake |
| 65 | Terbium (Tb) | Heavy | 1,010 | Licensed since April 2025 | High-temperature neodymium magnets |
| 66 | Dysprosium (Dy) | Heavy | 239 | Licensed since April 2025 | High-temperature neodymium magnets |
| 67 | Holmium (Ho) | Heavy | 70 | In the October 2025 controls, suspended to 10 Nov 2026 | Heavy rare earths as a group: catalysts, fiber optics, magnets, lasers, medical equipment |
| 68 | Erbium (Er) | Heavy | 46 | In the October 2025 controls, suspended to 10 Nov 2026 | Fiber-optic amplifiers |
| 69 | Thulium (Tm) | Heavy | - | In the October 2025 controls, suspended to 10 Nov 2026 | Heavy rare earths as a group: catalysts, fiber optics, magnets, lasers, medical equipment |
| 70 | Ytterbium (Yb) | Heavy | 15 | In the October 2025 controls, suspended to 10 Nov 2026 | Heavy rare earths as a group: catalysts, fiber optics, magnets, lasers, medical equipment |
| 71 | Lutetium (Lu) | Heavy | 888 | Licensed since April 2025 | Heavy rare earths as a group: catalysts, fiber optics, magnets, lasers, medical equipment |
Prices: USGS rare earths and USGS rare earths (heavy); yttrium is 99.999% yttrium oxide from the USGS yttrium chapter. A dash means no price is itemised. Control status: USGS. The groups are explained on the light and heavy page. Main uses follow the USGS, the EU magnet list in Regulation 2024/1252 and Lynas for samarium; the USGS states heavy-element uses for the group, not element by element.
Which elements are the most valuable?
Terbium, lutetium and dysprosium are the most valuable of the itemised elements, and they are all heavy. The USGS reports that terbium oxide averaged $1,010 per kilogram in 2025, up from $812 in 2024, lutetium oxide $888 and dysprosium oxide $239, which fell from $257. Neodymium oxide averaged $73 and praseodymium oxide $74. The cheapest are lanthanum and cerium at $1.00 and $1.71. The price spread follows abundance and use: lanthanum and cerium are plentiful in most ores, and the USGS notes that lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium and neodymium together make up 80% to 99% of most deposits. See prices and market structure.
Which elements matter most for supply security?
The magnet elements matter most: neodymium and praseodymium by volume and dysprosium and terbium by scarcity. Adamas Intelligence says China produced over 99% of refined dysprosium and terbium in recent years, and the USGS reports US net import reliance of 100% for heavy rare earth compounds and metals. The EU lists neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, dysprosium, gadolinium, samarium and cerium as strategic magnet rare earths. See magnet rare earths and the EU strategic list.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 17 rare earth elements?
The 17 rare earth elements are scandium, yttrium and the 15 lanthanides: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.
Which rare earth element is the most expensive?
Terbium is the most expensive of the rare earths with an itemised USGS price. Its oxide averaged $1,010 per kilogram in 2025, followed by lutetium at $888 and dysprosium at $239, against $1 for lanthanum.
Which rare earths has China put under export licensing?
China has licensed samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium since April 2025. It added europium, holmium, erbium, thulium and ytterbium in October 2025 and suspended that expansion for a year in November.
Which rare earths are used in magnets?
The rare earths used in magnets are neodymium and praseodymium, with dysprosium and terbium added to neodymium magnets for high-temperature use, and samarium for samarium-cobalt magnets. The EU also lists gadolinium and cerium as magnet rare earths.
Sources
Read on October 12, 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
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Rare earths (heavy)
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Yttrium
- Adamas Intelligence: Rare Earth Magnet Market Outlook, top predictions for 2026
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Annex I
- Lynas Rare Earths: Quarterly report for the period ended 31 March 2026
- MP Materials: Second quarter 2026 results
