Recent high-level trade talks between China and the U.S. in Geneva on May 12, 2025, resulted in a mutual agreement to significantly reduce tariffs within 90 days, lowering them by 115% in total (as per the joint statement). Despite this tariff détente, China’s tightened rare earth export controls have drawn international attention, positioning rare earths as a strategic "weapon" in the ongoing China-U.S. geopolitical rivalry. China has continued to tighten rare earth export controls and has implemented a new export licensing system, adopting a "one batch, one license" approach. This mandates that each rare earth shipment be accompanied by a separate rare earth export license, with exporters required to furnish detailed end-user information. This policy aims not only to plug regulatory gaps but also to give China a key advantage in the strategic competition with the U.S.

Rare earth market update on May 21, 2025

The domestic rare earth market has shown a trend of rising and then falling. Previously, mainstream light and heavy rare earth product prices surged due to rising overseas rare earth prices and strengthened export control policies on strategic minerals in China.

Rare earth market update on May 22, 2025

Rare earth price center continued to decline, with terbium oxide, holmium oxide, and dysprosium oxide prices decreasing by approximately 130 yuan per kilogram, 6,000 yuan per ton, and 10,000 yuan per ton, respectively.

Rare earth market update on May 20, 2025

Domestic rare earth prices remain locally stable with some slight declines, primarily due to insufficient inquiry and procurement enthusiasm from downstream users and the relatively high levels of raw material spot inventory. Today, prices for praseodymium-neodymium metal, gadolinium oxide, and terbium oxide have decreased by approximately 1,000 yuan, 3,000 yuan, and 20 yuan, respectively.