Charted: Where the U.S. Gets Its Rare Earths From

Bruno Venditti
2025-05-01 03:10:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

Charted: Where the U.S. Gets Its Rare Earths From

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China dominates the global supply of rare earth elements (REEs)—a group of 17 minerals vital to everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to guided missiles and satellites.

Between 2020 and 2023, China accounted for 70% of U.S. rare earth imports, making it by far the country’s top supplier. Malaysia, Japan, and Estonia round out the top four.

Country	Share of U.S. Imports
China	70%
Malaysia	13%
Japan	6%
Estonia	5%
Others	6%

This chart breaks down America’s rare earth import sources. The data comes from the U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, as of January 2025, and Statista.

China’s Grip on Rare Earths

Despite their name, rare earths are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust. The challenge lies in finding them in high enough concentrations—and processing them economically and sustainably.

China produces around 90% of the world’s refined rare earths and is home to the largest capacity for separation and purification, giving it a chokehold on global supply chains.

Take yttrium, for example—used in radar systems, lasers, and television screens. Between 2020 and 2023, 93% of all yttrium compounds imported into the U.S. came from China.

Other critical rare earths affected by this supply concentration include:

• Samarium
• Gadolinium
• Terbium
• Dysprosium
• Lutetium
• Scandium

Many of these elements are essential in military applications, electric motors, and next-gen electronics. Companies like Lockheed Martin, Tesla, and Apple rely on these materials in their core products.

Tariffs, Tensions, and Export Controls

As part of its response to Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Chinese goods, China recently expanded export restrictions on seven rare earth elements, temporarily suspending overseas shipments of the minerals.

The U.S. currently has only one rare earth mine: the Mountain Pass mine in California. While it’s one of the richest rare earth deposits globally, nearly all of the ore extracted there is still shipped to China for final processing.

To diversify away from Chinese dependence, the U.S. has been actively seeking new supply partnerships. One potential opportunity is in Ukraine, which holds Europe’s largest recoverable rare earth reserves. Currently, the Trump administration is working to close a deal to secure access to these untapped resources.

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If you enjoyed this graphic, be sure to check out this chart illustrating the GDP impact of Trump’s tariffs on China.

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