After a sharp drop in May, China’s exports of rare earth magnets saw a recovery in June. According to the latest data from Chinese customs authorities, 3,188 tons of rare earth magnets were exported during the month. Germany was the largest destination, receiving 764 tons, followed by the United States with 353 tons.
Exports of rare earth magnets over the last months.
Despite the monthly rebound, exports for the first half of 2025 remained significantly lower than those for the same period in 2024. Total export volume was down 19% year-on-year, while export value dropped nearly 30%. The sharper decline in value relative to volume is likely due to a reduced share of high-performance rare earth magnets, which contain the heavy rare earth elements dysprosium and terbium. These elements have been subject to new export licensing requirements since April.
Although not all rare earth magnets include these restricted elements, Chinese customs currently classify all rare earth magnet exports under a single product code. This lack of differentiation has further complicated export processing and contributed to the ongoing slowdown.
Photo: iStock/MAGNIFIER
