China Restricts Export of 7 Rare Earth Minerals, Check Full List and Their Uses Here

China has exported seven key rare earth minerals, such as dysprosium, Terbium, Europium, Gadolinium, Yttrium, Yttrium, Holmium and Erbium – for the first time to obtain a special export license. The move is part of Beijing’s response to U.S. tariffs and threatens to undermine global supply chains in the automotive, aerospace, electronics and defense industries. Rare earths are essential for making powerful magnets in electric vehicles, drones, robots and missile guidance systems as well as production of catalysts, lasers and high-performance alloys. Learn about what rare earth elements (REES) and their uses.

What happened? China imposes restrictions on the export of rare earth elements. You are watching: China Restricts Export of 7 Rare Earth Minerals, Check Full List and Their Uses Here Why now? The crackdown is part of China’s retaliation against President Trump’s US tariffs imposed on April 2. In response, China announced new export restrictions on April 4, targeting seven medium and heavy rare earth elements. Why is it important? Until 2023, China will account for 99% of global heavy Ries processing and 90% of magnet production. With Vietnam’s only competitive refinery closed, China has nearly all its monopoly.

There are 17 rare earth elements. In the ongoing trade war, it seems that China has discovered 7 rare earth minerals as a trump card against us in the ongoing trade war. On April 4, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce of China retaliated against U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods by 145%. Although the new restrictions are not bans, they require companies to apply for a license to export REES. These restrictions may suspend exports as the Chinese government establishes a new licensing system, which in turn may inspire the state to consolidate its trade relations with China.

In 2018, China accounted for two-thirds of all rare earth production in the world. In the past, China has used its control over the rare earth supply chain as a political tool, most notably against Japan during maritime disputes. China is also notorious for imposing restrictions on the export of rare minerals, forcing foreign companies to establish high-tech manufacturing facilities in China. The issue was resolved by the WTO in 2014.

Now, with economies like China using REE as a political tool, we understand that these rare earth minerals are considered important and may shake the trade war. Therefore, in this article, we break down what rare earth elements are, and the list of names and uses of seven rare earths that China restricts trade.

What are rare earth elements?

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are 17 metal elements on the periodic table of elements, including 15 lanterns with atomic numbers of 57 (Lanthanum, La) to 71 (lutetium, lu), plus Yttrium (Y, atomic number 39) and Scandium (SC, SC, ATOMIC NUMBUL 21).

Here is a more detailed breakdown of 15 lanterns:

Number of atoms	Element name	Symbol
57	lanthanum	Los Angeles
58	cerium	CE
59	praseodymium	PR
60	neodymium	ND
61	Promethium	afternoon
62	samarium	SM
63	europium	EU
64	gadolinium	GD
65	terbium	TB
66	dysprosium	dy
67	holmium	what
68	erbium	Um
69	thulium	TM
70	ytterbium	YB
71	号	Lu

All rare earths have similar chemical properties. But because of their chemical similarity, they appear together in minerals and rocks and are difficult to separate from each other, sometimes called “chemical coherence.”

The lower atomic weight element lantern of the atomic weight element to samarium (SM), with atomic numbers ranging from 57 to 62, which is called the light rare earth element (Lree); while the Europium (EU) with atomic numbers ranging from 63 to 71 is lutetium, which is a heavy rare earth element (Hree).

Are rare earth elements really rare? Not exactly.

Not exactly. Most rare earth elements (REES) are quite common in the Earth’s crust, for example, feeding is richer than copper or lead.

The term “rare earth” was first used in the late 18th and 19th centuries to refer to minerals containing REE, when known sediments were rare. What is really rare these days is finding my economic rich, concentrated sediment. That’s why countries like China dominate the market – they have resources and refining capabilities.

What are the rare earth elements used?

Due to its unique magnetic, luminous and optical properties, rare earth elements (REES) have extensive use among electronics, manufacturing, medicine, technology, defense, aerospace, automobiles, renewable energy technologies, etc.

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Some of the REEs are used for making powerful magnets, hard disc drives, CD and DVD players, portable electronics, microphones, speakers, magnetic refrigeration, petroleum refining, batteries, fuel cells, alloys, jet engines, fluorescent lamps (CFLs), cathode ray tubes, light emitting diodes (LEDs), LCD, plasma screens, lasers, fibre optics, glass pollution, ceramics, water treatment, catalyst converters, nuclear fuel rods, medical imaging, X-rays, cancer treatment, robots, drones, headphones, cell phones, computers, wind turbines and electric motors – making it a key component of electric vehicles.

According to CSIS, rare earth elements are widely used in a range of defense technologies, including F-35 fighters, Virginia and Columbia-class submarines, Tomahawk missiles, radar systems, predators and joint direct attack ammunition series for unmanned aircraft. For example, the F-35 fighter is equipped with a REE of more than 900 pounds. The Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 destroyer requires about 5,200 pounds, while the Virginia submarine uses about 9,200 pounds.

According to the London Geological Society, large wind turbines can use up to 2 tons of high-strength magnets, with about 30% of the REE. In addition, the battery, electric traction motor and regenerative braking system of each hybrid car use up to 20 kg of REE.

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Which 7 rare earths are restricted and what are they used?

The new restrictions apply to 7 of 17 REEs, namely: samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium.

Potential uses of these 7 rare earth elements

element	Potential uses
samarium	High temperature magnets, nuclear reactor control rods and shields, lasers, microwave ovens, wind turbines, electric vehicles, headphones and defenses
gadolinium	Magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, memory chip, nuclear reactor shield, compact disc
terbium	Green phosphor (night vision), laser, fluorescent lamp, optical storage (CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc), light bulb, TV and mobile screen
dysprosium	Permanent magnets, lasers, catalysts, nuclear reactors, wind turbines, electric vehicles
号	PET scanning detectors, superconductors, high refractive index glass, X-ray phosphors, catalysts in oil rupture
scandium	Super alloys, ultra-ray aerospace components, x-ray tubes, baseball bats, lamps, semiconductors, are also used as tracers in oil refining to detect leakage, alloys
yttrium	Ceramics, metal alloys, rechargeable batteries, TVs, high temperature superconductors, light bulbs, dental and medical lasers, liver cancer treatment

Since the late 1990s, China has provided 85-95% of the world’s REES. But it’s not because other countries don’t have Reese.

According to the London Geological Society, the main problem with REE supply is that there is insufficient REE in countries other than China. Although REE deposits outside China may be economical, they cannot simply “open”. All the technical, financial, environmental and regulatory phases required to build a new mine can take a decade or more.

Global rare earth reserves outside China

Australia: (about 4 million tons): the location of the weld ore of one of the richest REE deposits in the world.

Brazil: (approximately 21 million metric tons): Great potential, with several unexplored deposits, although mining is still restricted due to environmental and infrastructure challenges.

South Africa: (~790,000 metric tons): Rich rare earths are like Monaster, but mining is in its early stages.

Saudi Arabia: The great potential of the Arab shield, but is still in the exploration stage, with the government supporting investment in mining.

Japan: Potential underwater REE deposits in the Pacific (about 16 million tons), but deep-sea mining is technically and politically complex.

United States: (approximately 2.3 million metric tons): California’s mountain access is the only active American mine.

Vietnam: (about 22 million metric tons): An oil refinery exists but has been closed recently.

in conclusion

Rare Earth Elements (REES) remain critical to modern technologies and clean energy for the foreseeable future. As demand grows (powered by electric vehicles, renewable energy, defense and electronics), the global focus on reliability, diversified supply will only intensify. Although China currently dominates the market, other countries are accelerating efforts to develop mining, processing and manufacturing capabilities.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion