This is where the world’s rare earth minerals are found
The 2025 edition of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries provides comprehensive data on the global distribution of rare earth elements (REEs), which are vital for numerous high-tech applications.
According to the report, the worldwide production of REEs in 2024 was approximately 300,000 metric tons of rare-earth-oxide (REO) equivalent. The leading producers were China, the United States, Myanmar, and Australia.
Global reserves of REEs are substantial, with China holding the largest share, followed by countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, and Russia. These reserves are measured in millions of metric tons of REO equivalent, indicating a significant supply to meet future demand.
The top ten countries with the largest REE reserves are as follows:
- China: 44 million metric tons
- Brazil: 21 million metric tons
- Australia: 5.7 million metric tons
- India: 6.9 million metric tons
- United States: 1.9 million metric tons
- Russia: 3.8 million metric tons
- Vietnam: 3.5 million metric tons
- Greenland: 1.5 million metric tons
- Tanzania: 890,000 metric tons
- South Africa: 860,000 metric tons
These figures highlight that Brazil and Australia also possess significant reserves, positioning them as key players in the rare earth market. The United States, while holding a smaller share, continues to explore and develop its REE resources to reduce reliance on imports.
