Asia dominates the export destinations; North America remains cut off.
China’s exports of dysprosium declined sharply in June, while terbium shipments rebounded from the subdued levels recorded a month earlier. According to Chinese customs data, 2,098 kilograms of dysprosium and 3,100 kilograms of terbium were exported during the month.
Chinese dysprosium exports over the last year
Malaysia was the largest destination for dysprosium, receiving 1,080 kilograms, while the remaining 1,018 kilograms were shipped to South Korea. Terbium exports were dominated by South Korea, which imported 2,600 kilograms. The remaining 500 kilograms were exported to Estonia.
Chinese dysprosium exports over the last year
The latest figures underscore that Beijing’s export licensing regime continues to shape trade flows for the two heavy rare earth elements. While export volumes have recovered from the near standstill that followed the introduction of export controls in April 2025, shipments remain concentrated among a small number of countries with established downstream processing and manufacturing capabilities.
Malaysia hosts Lynas Rare Earths’ separation facility, the largest rare earth refinery outside China, while Estonia is home to Neo Performance Materials’ magnet manufacturing operations.
Dysprosium and terbium are essential heavy rare earth elements used to improve the heat resistance and magnetic performance of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets. These materials are critical for demanding applications including electric vehicle traction motors, wind turbines, industrial automation, and defense technologies.
Photo: iStock/SHansche
