Yttrium: The Unseen Rare-Earth Choke Point

Highlights

• The U.S. is 100% import-reliant on yttrium, with roughly 93% historically sourced from China, making export restrictions immediately devastating.
• Yttrium oxide prices surged over 4,400% and U.S.-bound shipments fell ~75% year-on-year after China imposed export controls in 2025.
• GE Vernova stockpiled yttrium and is testing substitutes, while USA Rare Earth produced the first commercial yttrium metal outside China in early 2026.
• Yttrium underpins jet engine thermal-barrier coatings, semiconductor etch chambers, white LED phosphors, and Nd:YAG defense lasers.
• New domestic separation and processing capacity could take years to scale, leaving a critical downstream bottleneck even if new mines open.