China Expands Rare Earth Export Controls

China announced it will add five rare earth elements and related materials to its export controls, raising the number of restricted rare earths to 12.
The announcement, made ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, tightens Beijing’s hold over a sector where China processes more than 90% of the world’s rare earths and permanent magnets.
Holmium: used in high-performance magnets, semiconductors, laser surgery devices and control rods for nuclear reactors.
Erbium: a key material for fibre‑optic telecommunications and infrared technologies; erbium oxide is used in infrared‑absorbing glass.
Thulium: applied in X‑ray equipment, lasers and microwave ceramics; it fluoresces under UV light and helps anti‑counterfeiting.
Europium: highly reactive and fluorescent; used in control rods, medical imaging phosphors and magnetism research.
Ytterbium: volatile but useful as an X‑ray radiation source, in nuclear medicine, as a catalyst and in quantum computing research.
The move could tighten global supply chains for electric vehicles, aerospace and defence applications, accelerating diversification and stockpiling efforts by manufacturers and governments.