Rare earth market update on March 17, 2026
The domestic rare earth market has underperformed overall, mainly reflected in the decline in product prices to varying extents and the relatively low enthusiasm of traders to engage in market operations. Today, the price of praseodymium oxide decreased by RMB 10,000 per ton, the price of neodymium oxide decreased by RMB 2,000 per ton, and the price of dysprosium oxide decreased by RMB 20,000 per ton.
From the supply side, there are two main factors: First, affected by high oil and gas prices and weak downstream demand, some rare earth mining and smelting enterprises have a slow pace in releasing production capacity, which has placed certain constraints on the market’s spot supply. Second, the recent decline in overseas rare earth prices has been favorable for increasing the import volume of domestic rare earth products.
From the demand side, rare earth downstream production enterprises are facing limited working capital and have large raw material inventories. Moreover, the market sentiment of "buying up but not buying down" has notably suppressed the increase in market transaction volume.
According to data from the General Administration of Customs, in January and February 2026, China’s total rare earth imports amounted to 18,906.2 tons, an increase of 11.7% year-on-year, with a total import value of RMB 2.82 billion, an increase of 131.9% year-on-year; total exports were 10,468.3 tons, an increase of 23.0% year-on-year, with a total export value of RMB 480 million, a decrease of 17.6% year-on-year. Among them, in February, China’s rare earth imports amounted to 5,967.4 tons, with an import value of RMB 1.07 billion; rare earth exports totaled 4,407.1 tons, with an export value of RMB 180 million.
Price of rare earth products on March 17, 2026
Images of neodymium oxide
