Rare earths have become a permanent fixture on national critical...

Rare earths have become a permanent fixture on national critical metals lists around the world due to their pivotal role in permanent magnets, new energy and technology. Learn more about the biggest rare earths stocks on the world's top stock exchanges.


Rare earth elements (REEs) are crucial for technologies like smartphone cameras and defense systems.

A select few from the group of 17 are also vital to the expanding electric vehicle industry — neodymium and praseodymium are used in permanent magnet synchronous motors used in EV drive trains.
China's dominance in rare earth production and reserves has prompted countries like the US, Canada and Australia to boost their own mining and processing efforts to secure their supply chains. The pressure on these nations to establish strong supply chains is likely to grow when a US tariff on imports of Chinese rare earth magnets begins in 2026.


The 25 percent tariff, announced by the US government in May 2024, aims to both protect American industries from China's trade practices and support domestic production. One form of magnets the tariffs will affect is sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, crucial for electric vehicle motors and wind turbines.

This marks the first time rare earth magnets are included in Section 301 tariffs, signaling a significant move in the US-China trade conflict. The initiative is part of broader efforts to bolster US energy and national security.

Meanwhile, the EU is also seeking to reduce its reliance on Chinese rare earths through a new law enacted in May, which aims to significantly boost domestic production of critical minerals, including rare earths, by 2030.
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In early July, China's State Council introduced new regulations to tighten control over the country's rare earth resources and secure its supply chain. Taking effect on October 1, 2024, these new rules impose strict oversight on the mining, smelting and trading of rare earth elements. They also ban the export of technology for extracting and separating rare earths as well as for making rare earth magnets.