Countries with Rare Earth Minerals
Overview
Did you know the world’s most powerful technologies depend on a handful of hidden natural resources buried deep in the earth? Rare earth minerals are the silent force behind smartphones, electric cars, renewable energy, and even advanced defense systems. As demand for clean energy and high-tech products skyrockets, rare earth minerals are shaping the future of global hierarchy and trade.
These minerals may not be as “rare” as gold, but their complex extraction makes them priceless. In this article by Academic Block, we’ll uncover the Countries with Rare Earth Minerals, which nations control these critical reserves and why they matter more than ever in today’s world.
Rare Earth Minerals by Country 2025
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Top 10 Countries with Rare Earth Minerals are. (1) China, (2) Brazil, (3) India, (4) Australia, (5) Russia, (6) Vietnam, (7) United States, (8) Greenland, (9) Tanzania, and (10) South Africa. These countries sit on the hidden treasures powering electric cars, smartphones, renewable energy, and defense systems. Beyond resources, they hold the keys to global innovation and geopolitical power, making rare earth minerals the true currency of the modern world.
The table below shows estimated reserves in million metric tons and reported overall mining output of rare earth in 2023 and 2024 (where available). It gives a snapshot of both resource size and recent production.
| Rank ▲ | Country ▲ | Total Reserves (Million Metric Tons) ▲ | Mining Production 2023 ▲ | Mining Production 2024 ▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 44,000,000 | 255,000 | 270,000 |
| 2 | Brazil | 21,000,000 | 140 | 20 |
| 3 | India | 6,900,000 | 16,000 | 13,000 |
| 4 | Australia | 5,700,000 | 2,900 | 2,900 |
| 5 | Russia | 3,800,000 | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| 6 | Vietnam | 3,500,000 | 300 | 300 |
| 7 | US | 1,900,000 | 41,600 | 45,000 |
| 8 | Greenland | 1,500,000 | N/A | N/A |
| 9 | Tanzania | 890,000 | N/A | N/A |
| 10 | South Africa | 830,000 | N/A | N/A |
After reviewing this table, it is clear that China, Brazil, and India are the top countries leading in mining output with the highest metric tons. However, this represents only the overall result. Now, let’s explore the rare earth minerals present in these leading countries.
List and Availability of Rare Earth Minerals
The table below presents the list of the countries possessing important rare earth minerals. It also highlights their ability to control trade of technological products, thus influencing the global geopolitics. The table summarizes where common REEs are found among leading countries. A tick (✓) means the element is present in commercial concentrations; a cross (✗) means that there are no major deposit in that country.
Top Rare Earth Elements and Their Leading Suppliers
Rare earth elements are the backbone of modern technologies and clean energy solutions. The list below highlights important elements, their top supplier countries and common uses.
In the end, these elements collectively power clean energy technologies, consumer electronics, and many defense applications.
Web Resources on Countries with Rare Earth Minerals
1. USGS.gov: Rare Earth’s Statistics and Information
2. Statista.com: Countries with greatest known Reserves of Rare Earths
3. NASDAQ.com: Top 8 Countries with Rare Earths Reserves
4. Nytimes.com: China Halts Critical Exports as Trade War Intensifies
5. How to Invest in Rare Earth Metals.
Final Words
Countries with rare earth minerals play a key role in the global economy and technological development. These resources are essential for clean-energy systems, electronics, and defence industries. Rising demand makes sustainable mining practices and fair trade practices more important than ever.
International cooperation can reduce supply risk and help ensure long-term benefits for producing countries and consumers alike. Thus, countries that manage their resources responsibly will shape both innovation and economic opportunity in the coming decades. Please share your thoughts below in the comment section and help us to make this article better. Thank you for reading!
Questions and answers related to Countries with Rare Earth Minerals:
Rare earth elements are a set of 17 metallic elements. The 15 lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium. They have special magnetic, luminescent and catalytic properties used across electronics, renewable energy and defence. While not extremely scarce geologically, they are often hard to extract and refine economically.
China leads with roughly 44 million tonnes of known reserves. Brazil (~21 Mt), India (~6.9 Mt), Australia (~5.7 Mt) and Russia (~3.8 Mt) follow as major reserve holders.
No country produces exactly 98%. However, China dominates mining (≈70%) and controls a much larger share of processing and refining capacity, which concentrates much of the market’s supply chain.
Refining and chemical processing are heavily concentrated in China; estimates commonly put China’s share of refining capacity at roughly 90–95%, giving it strong leverage across the value chain.
China controls over 90% of global refining capacity. Mining itself is also concentrated, so China effectively sets prices and supply conditions across the chain.
The 17 rare earth elements are. Scandium, Yttrium, Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium. Moreover, these elements serve in magnets, batteries, lighting, electronics, and many industrial uses.
Recent output leaders include China (~270,000 t), United States (~45,000 t), Myanmar (~31,000 t), and others such as Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil and Russia. Production levels change year to year based on policy and market demand.
They power permanent magnets in EV motors and wind turbines, improve electronics and optics, and support defence systems. Their magnetic and luminescent properties make them vital to high-tech manufacturing.
Rare earth minerals are natural ores that contain one or more rare earth elements. Extracting usable oxides requires mining, beneficiation and complex chemical separation, which increases cost and environmental impact.
As of 2025, benchmark prices included neodymium oxide near USD 96,540 per tonne and praseodymium oxide around USD 96,785 per tonne; terbium oxide traded near USD 1,071 per kg. Prices fluctuate with demand and supply changes.
They are mainly the fifteen lanthanides (atomic numbers 57–71) plus scandium and yttrium. These elements sit in the f-block, below the main table, and their location explains many of their physical and chemical properties.
MP Materials operates Mountain Pass and is a major U.S. producer. USA Rare Earth is building downstream magnet capacity in Oklahoma. Other developers include NioCorp and Energy Fuels, which are expanding extraction and processing options.
Examples include neodymium (magnets), cerium (catalysts), yttrium (electronics), europium (LEDs) and dysprosium (high-heat magnets). Their properties support many modern technologies.
Rhodium, palladium, osmium and ruthenium rank among the highest-priced minerals by weight, with prices driven by scarcity and industrial demand. Platinum and lithium also command strong market value depending on use and availability.
Painite is widely cited as one of Earth’s rarest minerals; initially only two specimens were known when it was first discovered. Its extreme scarcity and unusual chemistry make it a mineralogical curiosity.
Painite is widely cited as one of Earth’s rarest minerals; initially only two specimens were known when it was first discovered. Its extreme scarcity and unusual chemistry make it a mineralogical curiosity.