How much rare earths do China produce and export?
China is the largest producer of rare earths: 270,000 tonnes in 2025, 69% of the world's 390,000 tonnes (USGS MCS). It is the largest exporter by value: $422.1 million in 2024, 38% of world exports of rare-earth metals and compounds (HS 2805) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Japan, which takes 19% of its rare earths exports by value.
All about rare earths · All about China
China's rare earths production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 270,000 tonnes | 69% | — | 2025 |
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, MCS 2026.
China's rare earths exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $422.1 million | 38% | 61,774 t | $6,833 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 2805 (Alkali and rare-earth metals; scandium and yttrium).
Where China's rare earths goes
| Destination | Value | Share of China's exports |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | $79M | 19% |
| India | $50M | 12% |
| United States | $49M | 12% |
| France | $26M | 6.1% |
| South Korea | $23M | 5.5% |
China as a buyer of rare earths
China imported $42.4 million of rare-earth metals and compounds (HS 2805) in 2024, 3.8% of world imports, ranked #7.
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "China rare earths: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/CHN/rare-earths/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.