China's Rare Earth Exports to the United States

Looking back on 2025, China imposed - and eased - a number of export restrictions on certain rare earth magnets and rare earth metals and compounds. What impact did those measures have on shipments to the United States?

Bottom line: China’s exports to the United States of rare earth magnets, many of which are subject to export controls, continued at the low end of historical levels. However, China’s shipments of export-controlled rare earth compounds and metals to the United States remain well below historical levels - presenting a significant concern as China retains control over many upstream processed inputs for the rare earths covered by export controls and the downstream magnet production.

Magnets

China’s rare earth magnet exports to the United States were approximately 20 percent lower in 2025 than in 2024. Exports of these magnets were constrained by China’s April 2025 export licensing requirements for many types of rare earth magnets. While China resumed exporting significant volumes of rare earth magnets to the United States in the second half of 2025, monthly exports were mostly below 2024 levels. Although rare earth magnets remain a near-term concern, the U.S. industry is scaling its domestic rare earth mining, processing, and magnet production.

Metals and Compounds

China’s level of export-controlled rare earth shipments to the United States remains a significant concern.

• China’s exports to the United States of rare earth compounds and metals subject to export controls remain well below typical historical levels, since China’s exports of yttrium to the United States remain low.
  • Exports of lutetium oxide (often used by medical device manufacturers) to the United States did increase in November and December.