Rare earths
Access more than 70 price assessments for the 17 rare earth elements, along with the latest data, news and analysis
Overview
Rare earths or rare earth elements (REE) are crucial to modern society, driving innovation across automotives, electronics, renewable energy, healthcare, defence and aerospace, and as a catalyst in industrial and chemical processing.
As demand for highly engineered products continues to grow, manufacturers that rely on rare earths face a limited supply of marketable product outside a handful of Chinese producers.
Argus Rare Earths Analytics and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets address this unique challenge in the rare earths industry by delivering price data and forecasts through on-the-ground expertise and a proven methodology that supports long-term outlooks as well as supply and demand fundamentals.
Rare earths coverage
Argus produces more than 70 price assessments for the 17 rare earth elements, as well as delivering best-in-class data, news and analysis to support your decision making. In addition, the Argus Rare Earths Analytics service also provides market analysis and 10-year forecasts for supply, demand, prices and projects across key rare earths:
- Cerium prices
- Dysprosium prices
- Erbium prices
- Europium prices
- Gadolinium prices
- Lanthanum prices
- Mischmetal prices
- Neodymium prices
- Praseodymium prices
- Praseodymium-neodymium prices
- Samarium prices
- Terbium prices
- Yttrium prices
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Australia’s South32 moves Gemco Mn workers offsite
Australia’s South32 moves Gemco Mn workers offsite
Sydney, 19 March (Argus) — Australian metals producer South32 is moving non-essential personnel offsite from its Groote Eylandt manganese operations (Gemco) as Cyclone Narelle approaches, a company spokesperson told Argus today. Gemco, located in the Northern Territory, sits in a region expected to be in Cyclone Narelle's path. South32 is working with the Local Emergency Controller to monitor the incoming weather system, the spokesperson added. Cyclone Narelle will pass Groote Eylandt — an island in the Gulf of Carpentaria — on Saturday afternoon, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). The cyclone is forecast to be a category three weather system by that time, BoM meteorologist Angus Hines said in a weather update. Groote Eylandt should expect a real uptick in the wind and rain conditions from around Saturday afternoon, Shenna Gamble, BoM's hazard preparedness and response manager for the Northern Territory, said at a press conference. South32 has faced severe weather challenges on Groote Eylandt before. The company paused mining operations on the island for four months in March 2024 because of Cyclone Megan. It only resumed manganese exports from Gemco in May 2025. South32 plans to produce 3.2mn t of manganese at Gemco in July 2025-June 2026, it said in a quarterly report on 22 January. The company raised its March-delivery Australian 43pc lumpy manganese ore cif China price by $0.10/metric tonne unit (mtu) to $5.20/mtu in late January because it expected Chinese demand for the metal to increase after the lunar new year holidays in February. Argus ' manganese ore 44-46pc Mn cif China price was last assessed at $5.23/mtu on 12 March, up from $4.63/mtu on 31 December. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
DRC cobalt exports paused over assay dispute
DRC cobalt exports paused over assay dispute
London, 18 March (Argus) — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has effectively paused cobalt exports after officials raised concerns about mismatched assay results for cobalt hydroxide, according to market participants. Border staff were said to be holding back paperwork while awaiting guidance from Kinshasa on how to handle discrepancies between laboratory results submitted during export procedures. A document seen by Argus dated 13 March has set a ±2pc tolerance for divergences between the assays issued by the Arecoms laboratory, the CEEC laboratory and the exporter's chosen private laboratory. It also requires a reference test when the gap exceeds that threshold and introduces monthly reconciliation of assay data and quota volumes. Exporters said the notice has left border staff hesitant to process loads until the mining minister signs an administrative instruction confirming how the new rules should be applied. The timing comes as mining firms attempt to rebuild export flows after last year's eight-month halt and the quota regime that followed, which capped October–December shipments at 18,125t. Prices jumped late last year as stocks outside the DRC drained and Chinese imports fell sharply , while border delays persisted into December because of paperwork backlogs and heavy rain. Market links document to quiet export block The document appears to show confusion inside government over why three labs return three different results on the same parcel, according to several sources. "I heard the same," one source told Argus , referring to the reported statement from Kinshasa. "We've had no issue at our sites this morning. We're checking to see if this is for selected mines." Another source said it was unclear whether the government slowed exports first or whether the 13 March circular was written to address a problem that had already emerged. They noted that the document allows exports to proceed when assay differences fall within a ±2pc tolerance, which "perhaps" suggests it was drafted to unblock shipments. The same source said officials may initially have misread normal lab-to-lab variation as evidence of wrongdoing. "If you get three different parties to assay the same parcel, you will get three different results," they said, adding that authorities "automatically assumed that it was a fraud" and blocked movements. The document now makes clear that exports can go ahead "as long as everyone is acting honestly", they said. The rally on Wuxi exchange on Tuesday suggests the market is not yet at ease. Exporters said that once the mining minister signs the accompanying administrative notice, border staff should resume clearing trucks, but until then operators expect loads to remain parked while officials decide which assay should be treated as binding. By Chris Welch Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazilian states to sign US critical minerals deals
Brazilian states to sign US critical minerals deals
Sao Paulo, 18 March (Argus) — Goias and Minas Gerais, two neighboring Brazilian states which hold Brazil's largest rare earths and lithium reserves, respectively, are signing critical minerals cooperation agreements with the US. Goias' governor Ronaldo Caiado signed a preliminary agreement on Wednesday to collaborate with the US in developing the state's rare earth reserves. Minas Gerais is also planning on signing a similar agreement on lithium and other critical minerals on 19 March, a source close to the matter exclusively told Argus . Goias' agreement is not yet legally binding, but aims to create cooperation opportunities in research and technical skills development. "This partnership enables us to better map and develop our mineral potential," Caiado told journalists after signing the deal. "It allows us to update our tech, enabling us to be more than just a raw mineral exporter." State-level deals like these also allow Goias and Minas Gerais to speed up environmental licensing and offer tax exemptions to US firms, but they do not grant research or exploration rights, which remain under federal authority. Both states are led by right-wing governors who are more amenable to US president Donald Trump's administration than Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. As a result, this could be a tactic to pressure the federal administration into signing a broader critical minerals trade deal with the US. Lula has been resistant to signing any agreements that did not guarantee a commitment to developing critical minerals processing and refining capacity in Brazil. Gabriel Escobar, a spokesperson for the US government, told journalists after Caiado signed the deal that the US had already formally proposed a critical minerals agreement to Lula and was still awaiting a response. President Trump has yet to name an ambassador to Brazil. The US has long sought a critical minerals agreement with Brazil , which has proven to be one of the toughest negotiators in South America. Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina — Latin America's other lithium producers — in addition to copper-rich Ecuador and Peru, have all signed bilateral agreements with the US. Caiado has been strengthening ties with the US as of late. He was present at the US Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting , held in Washington on 4 February, during which the Trump administration signed 11 bilateral critical minerals deals. One day later, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) granted a $565mn funding to the Serra Verde rare earths project , in Goias. DFC had also previously backed the Aclara project — also in Goias state — with a $5mn loan . By Pedro Consoli Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China's GWM sees no near-term solid battery EV rollout
China's GWM sees no near-term solid battery EV rollout
Beijing, 18 March (Argus) — Major Chinese automaker Great Wall Auto (GWM) expects solid-state battery technology to play a significant role in the future development of electric vehicles, but the company does not anticipate large-scale commercialisation in the near term. "Solid-state batteries are a new technology. We hope everyone can view its development rationally and avoid excessive hype," the company's chairman and chief executive Wei Jianjun said on social media today. GWM's solid-state battery work remains in the research, development and verification stage, and the technology will need at least another five years to achieve commercial viability and vehicle application, Wei said. The company is focusing on a sulphide-based technical route. It has achieved kilogram-scale production of sulphide solid-state electrolytes and developed 20Ah battery samples. But the technology still faces challenges related to cost, safety and performance, Wei warned. Sulphide-based processes can release highly toxic gas when exposed to water, requiring strict production conditions and involving high costs, he said. GWM produced 403,653 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2025, accounting for about 30.5pc of its total annual sales of 1.32mn units. The company has also invested in overseas production plants in Brazil, Russia and Thailand. The global solid-state battery sector accelerated development in 2025. China has included the development of all-solid-state batteries its 15th Five-Year Economic Plan and the government allocated 6bn yuan ($870mn) to support research and development in 2025. But full-solid-state batteries have yet to reach commercial-scale production. Marketing efforts by some producers have focused more on conceptual promotion than on deliverable products. Wei's assessment aligns with views expressed by some Chinese academicians. All-solid-state batteries with energy densities of 300–350 Wh/kg could complete vehicle-mounted verification, but such verification does not equate to large-scale mass production, said Ouyang Minggao, academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "The technological innovation of solid-state batteries should proceed step by step and should not be rushed," Ouyang said at a recent forum held by domestic research institute China EV100. Despite development challenges and uncertainty over rollout timelines, industry participants still view solid-state batteries as a key direction for longer-term evolution. The technology could reshape demand for several battery raw materials over time. The full solid-state battery industry in China began to take off in 2024. China's newly disclosed patents for full solid-state batteries accounted for 44 of the global total by 2025, surpassing Japan and achieving global leadership, Ouyang added. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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