Benchmark expands rare earths price assessments with 19 new grades

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence is pleased to announce the expansion of its Rare Earths Price Assessment with 19 new price grades, bringing price transparency to a broader range of rare earth oxides and metals that are essential to modern technology.

Cerium and lanthanum are used in catalysts, glass and polishing, while europium underpins the phosphors used in displays and lighting. Ytterbium, erbium, holmium and thulium are used in lasers and fibre optic amplifiers, gadolinium in medical imaging, and lutetium in the scintillators used for PET scans. Praseodymium-neodymium metal is the key feedstock for the permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and defence systems.

According to Benchmark’s Rare Earths Service, China accounts for around 87% of refined rare earth supply and roughly two thirds of mined supply in 2026. Beijing has introduced and widened export licensing on a range of rare earths, leaving buyers outside China facing restricted availability, volatile pricing, and few reliable reference points.

“The rare earth market has long been thinly traded and hard to read, especially for buyers in the West,” said George Ingall, Senior Analyst at Benchmark. “By assessing delivered North American prices alongside the Chinese domestic market, we can show how wide the gap between the two has become and how it moves over time.”

What are the new rare earth price grades assessed by Benchmark?

Twelve of the new grades are assessed as CIF North America, reflecting delivered prices into a region that is relying increasingly on material from outside China. Seven are assessed as DDP China, giving a view of the price premium buyers are paying outside of China.

Through direct engagement with active market participants, Benchmark analysts track and assess transacted prices to give a representative view of market activity. The following grades will be published as part of the assessment:

CIF North America

Samarium Oxide; 99.0-99.9%

Cerium Oxide; 99.5-99.9%

Europium Oxide; 99.99%

Lanthanum Oxide; 99.5-99.9%

Lanthanum Oxide; 99.999%

Ytterbium Oxide; 99.99%

Gadolinium Oxide; 99.99-99.999%

Lutetium Oxide; 99.99%

Erbium Oxide; 99.50%

Holmium Oxide; 99.50%

Thulium Oxide; 99.99%

Praseodymium-Neodymium Metal; 99.0%

DDP China

Cerium Oxide; >99%

Europium Oxide; >99%

Lanthanum Oxide; >99%

Ytterbium Oxide; >99.5%

Lutetium Oxide; >99.5%

Erbium Oxide; >99.5%

Holmium Oxide; >99.5%

As governments and companies work to develop supply chains outside China, Benchmark will continue to evolve its methodologies to reflect emerging trading dynamics. The new assessments are built on the same market leading price assessment methodologies that underpin Benchmark’s wider critical minerals prices, helping producers, traders and consumers manage price risk in markets that have until now been opaque.

To learn more about Benchmark's new rare earth prices, fill out the form below and one of the team will be in touch: