According to data from the General Administration of Customs, from January to February 2026, China's cumulative rare earth imports amounted to 18,906.2 tons, an increase of 11.7% year-on-year, with a cumulative import value of RMB 2.82 billion, an increase of 131.9% year-on-year. The cumulative rare earth exports totaled 10,468.3 tons, an increase of 23.0% year-on-year, with a cumulative export value of RMB 480 million, a decrease of 17.6% year-on-year. This indicates that in the first two months of this year, both rare earth import volume and import value increased year-on-year, but the import value increased significantly, suggesting that the average price of rare earth imports in January-February 2026 was notably higher than that of January-February 2025. In contrast, although the rare earth export volume increased year-on-year, the export value decreased, indicating that the average price of rare earth exports in January-February 2026 was lower than that in January-February 2025.
According to CTIA GROUP LTD's official website, from January to February 2026, the prices of most rare earth products in China increased year-on-year. Among them, the average price of praseodymium oxide was RMB 756,111 per ton, which increased by 72.70% year-on-year; the average price of neodymium oxide was RMB 752,167 per ton, which increased by 75.01% year-on-year; the average price of praseodymium-neodymium oxide was RMB 725,750 per ton, which increased by 71.94% year-on-year; the average price of praseodymium-neodymium metal was RMB 883,389 per ton, which increased by 69.86% year-on-year; the average price of terbium oxide was RMB 6,284 per kilogram, which increased by 4.70% year-on-year; the average price of dysprosium oxide was RMB 1,453,333 per ton, which decreased by 13.83% year-on-year; the average price of dysprosium ferroalloy was RMB 1,420,000 per ton, which decreased by 14.17% year-on-year.
It is understood that China's imports and exports of rare earth products include rare earth metal ores, unlisted rare earth oxides, mixed rare earth chlorides, other rare earth chlorides, other rare earth fluorides, mixed rare earth carbonates, other rare earth carbonates, unlisted rare earth metals and their compounds, and mixtures. China is the world's largest rare earth reserve country and producer. By the end of 2025, China's rare earth reserves were approximately 44 million tons, unchanged compared to the previous year, accounting for 51.76% of the global total reserves of 85 million tons. In 2025, China's rare earth production was approximately 270,000 tons, unchanged compared to the previous year, accounting for 69.23% of the global total production of 390,000 tons.
