Market Sluggish Around Holiday, Rare Earth Prices in the Doldrums [SMM Rare Earth Weekly Review]

Published: May 7, 2026 16:07

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[SMM Rare Earth Weekly Review: Market Sluggish around Holiday, Rare Earth Prices in the Doldrums] The Pr-Nd oxide market saw a poor trading atmosphere recently. Downstream metal plants showed low enthusiasm in inquiries and procurement around the holiday, but upstream suppliers maintained firm offers amid tight spot cargo availability, and low-priced sources remained difficult to find. Overall, Pr-Nd oxide price fluctuations were relatively small. As of today, Pr-Nd oxide prices adjusted slightly downward to 762,000-768,000 yuan/mt.

May 7 update:

Rare earth ore:

Today, the price range of rare earth carbonate was 61,700-62,200 yuan/mt, monazite prices adjusted to 4.4-4.8 yuan/mt, and medium-yttrium, europium-rich ore prices were approximately 248,000-250,000 yuan/mt. Recently, the circulation rate in the rare earth ore market remained low. Overall, separation plants showed poor purchase willingness, market transactions remained sluggish, and ore prices were unlikely to rise.

Rare earth oxides:

Lanthanum oxide prices saw relatively small fluctuations this week, remaining stable at 5,000-5,800 yuan/mt. Cerium oxide market prices also trended stable recently, holding steady at 14,000-14,800 yuan/mt within the week. The Pr-Nd oxide market saw a poor trading atmosphere recently. Before and after the holiday, downstream metal plants showed low enthusiasm for inquiries and procurement. However, upstream suppliers maintained firm offers amid tight spot Pr-Nd oxide availability, and low-priced sources remained difficult to find. Overall, Pr-Nd oxide price fluctuations were relatively small. As of today, Pr-Nd oxide prices adjusted slightly downward to 762,000-768,000 yuan/mt. Medium-heavy rare earth side, dysprosium oxide market demand remained poor, but due to high inventory costs and dysprosium oxide prices having fallen to relatively low levels, most suppliers maintained firm offers. This week, dysprosium oxide prices edged down to 1.35-1.37 million yuan/mt. Terbium oxide market inquiry activity also remained sluggish. Suppliers maintained relatively stable offers, but shipments at high prices were difficult, with prices adjusting slightly within the week to 6.1-6.12 million yuan/mt. Gadolinium oxide prices saw a notable decline within the week. Metal plants indicated that order conditions remained weak and they found it difficult to accept high-priced oxides, with prices continuing to decline to 240,000-245,000 yuan/mt within the week. Holmium oxide market offers were relatively stable, but metal plant inquiry conditions showed no improvement, with prices edging down to the 545,000-550,000 yuan/mt range within the week. Erbium oxide suppliers showed low offer activity this week. Some suppliers offered low-priced sources, but trader prices remained relatively high, with prices fluctuating and adjusting to 410,000-430,000 yuan/mt this week. Yttrium oxide market prices saw a slight decline recently, with suppliers showing increased shipment enthusiasm, and prices declined to 60,000-65,000 yuan/mt this week.

Rare earth metals:

This week, cerium metal prices ran generally stable, remaining steady at 35,000-35,500 yuan/mt. Pr-Nd alloy prices were in the doldrums this week, declining to 930,000-940,000 yuan/mt. After the holiday, downstream inquiry and procurement enthusiasm was low, mainly focused on making just-in-time procurement at lower prices. The market trading atmosphere was sluggish. Combined with the decline in Pr-Nd oxide prices, some metal suppliers lowered their offers, but factory offers remained relatively firm, and the actual decline in Pr-Nd alloy was limited. Medium-heavy rare earth market, dysprosium-iron alloy closed at 1.32-1.33 million yuan/mt. Prices continued to decline overall this week, mainly due to fewer downstream inquiry and procurement activities and pullbacks in raw material prices, with suppliers continuing to lower their quotes. Terbium metal prices pulled back to 7.53-7.57 million yuan/mt. Market inquiries showed no improvement this week, coupled with raw material price pullbacks, suppliers continued to lower their quotes, but actual transactions remained weak. Gadolinium-iron alloy quotes continued to decline, mainly due to significant pullbacks in raw material prices. Metal enterprises continued to lower their quotes, downstream inquiry activities remained relatively small, and gadolinium-iron prices adjusted to 230,000-235,000 yuan/mt within the week.

Rare Earth Permanent Magnets:

Currently, NdFeB blank N38 (Ce) closed at 242-252 yuan/kg; NdFeB blank 40M was priced at 288-298 yuan/kg; NdFeB blank 40H was priced at 292-302 yuan/kg; NdFeB blank 45SH (Ce) was priced at 342-362 yuan/kg.

Price-wise, NdFeB prices declined this week, primarily because Pr-Nd oxide and metal prices, which are raw materials for NdFeB, pulled back this week, driving down NdFeB magnetic material prices. Trading-wise, trading activity was sluggish this week. After the holiday, downstream customers still had inventory, and the peak period next month had not yet arrived, leaving market transactions sluggish.

Rare Earth Scrap:

This week, Pr-Nd recycled from NdFeB scrap was priced at 760-765 yuan/kg; dysprosium recycled from NdFeB scrap was priced at 1,280-1,300 yuan/kg; terbium recycled from NdFeB scrap was priced at 5,800-6,000 yuan/kg.

This week, scrap prices showed relatively small fluctuations overall, mainly due to relatively small fluctuations in oxide prices. Recycling enterprises slightly lowered their external order signing and procurement quotes. Coupled with the decline in Pr-Nd oxide futures prices, scrap suppliers adopted a more cautious attitude toward shipments. Meanwhile, around the holiday period, market trading atmosphere was sluggish, and actual transactions were in the doldrums. Overall, scrap prices showed relatively small fluctuations this week. Around the holiday period, market trading atmosphere was sluggish, suppliers had strong wait-and-see sentiment, and actual market transactions were in the doldrums.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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