The world's rare-earth mining countries ranked by estimated 2025 output in tonnes of rare-earth oxide, from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
China is the world's largest rare earth miner, with an estimated 270,000 tonnes of rare-earth oxide in 2025. The United States is second at 51,000 tonnes and Australia third at 29,000 tonnes. The ranking uses USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 estimates of 2025 mine production in rare-earth-oxide equivalent.
Rare earths (the lanthanides plus yttrium) are used mainly in magnets, as well as in catalysts, batteries, ceramics and glass. They are not especially rare in the Earth's crust, but minable deposits are, and output is extraordinarily concentrated: China mined roughly 69% of the world's supply in 2025, in April 2025 it tightened export controls on several rare-earth elements and in October expanded them, though in November it suspended the October controls for one year. This list ranks countries by rare-earth mine production using the U.S. Geological Survey's Mineral Commodity Summaries.
China mined an estimated 270,000 tonnes of REO in 2025, about 69% of the world total and more than five times the next country. It also holds the largest reserves, 44 million tonnes.
U.S. output rose an estimated 12% to 51,000 tonnes in 2025, valued at $240 million, mostly bastnaesite from Mountain Pass, California, plus monazite from heavy-mineral sands in the Southeast.
Australia mined an estimated 29,000 tonnes in 2025, flat on 2024. USGS lists its reserves at 6.3 million tonnes, 3.3 million of them JORC-compliant.
Burma (Myanmar) produced an estimated 22,000 tonnes in 2025, down from 27,000. USGS derives the figure from China's import data, and no reserve estimate is available.
Thailand more than doubled its estimated output to 4,800 tonnes in 2025 from 2,100 tonnes, again estimated by USGS from Chinese import records.
India produced an estimated 2,900 tonnes in 2025, unchanged from 2024; USGS notes rare-earth reserves were not reported.
Madagascar's estimated output nearly doubled to 2,700 tonnes in 2025 from 1,400 tonnes, based on China's import data.
Russia mined an estimated 2,600 tonnes in 2025, unchanged from 2024; USGS lists its reserves at 3.8 million tonnes.
Brazil's output jumped to an estimated 2,000 tonnes in 2025 from 560 tonnes. It holds 11 million tonnes of reserves, the second largest after China.
Nigeria produced an estimated 1,500 tonnes in 2025, level with 2024, and USGS lists no reserve estimate (NA).
| # | Name | 2024 output (t) | Share of world 2025 | Reserves (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 270000 | 69.2% | 44,000,000 |
| 2 | United States | 45500 | 13.1% | 1,900,000 |
| 3 | Australia | 29000 | 7.4% | 6,300,000 |
| 4 | Burma | 27000 | 5.6% | Not available |
| 5 | Thailand | 2100 | 1.2% | Not available |
| 6 | India | 2900 | 0.7% | Not reported |
| 7 | Madagascar | 1400 | 0.7% | Not available |
| 8 | Russia | 2600 | 0.7% | 3,800,000 |
| 9 | Brazil | 560 | 0.5% | 11,000,000 |
| 10 | Nigeria | 1500 | 0.4% | Not available |
Ranked by estimated 2025 rare-earth mine production in metric tons of rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent, from the USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 (February 2026) rare earths chapter. Figures include the lanthanides and yttrium but exclude most scandium. USGS estimates output for Burma, Madagascar, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam from China's reported import data rather than national statistics, so those figures are less certain. Mining is not processing: the list counts concentrate output, not separated oxides or metals. Share of world uses the USGS rounded world total of 390,000 tonnes. Reserves marked 'Not available' are listed as NA (not available) by USGS; India's are marked 'Not reported' per a USGS footnote. 2025 figures are estimates and may be revised.
China, with an estimated 270,000 tonnes of rare-earth oxide in 2025, about 69% of world mine output, according to the USGS.
Not in the crust overall. USGS notes they are relatively abundant, but deposits concentrated enough to mine economically are much less common than for most minerals.
No. Mine output is concentrate; turning it into separated oxides, metals and magnets is a separate industry.