Highlights
- Rare Earth Exchanges launches inaugural Global Heavy Rare Earth (HREE) Project Rankings.
- The rankings highlight the strategic vulnerabilities in the current rare earth supply chain.
- China's HREE dominance relies on unstable sources, including controversial deals with rebel factions in Myanmar's conflict zones.
- Western rare earth producers like Lynas and MP Materials face significant challenges in developing scalable HREE production outside of China.
Rare Earth Exchanges Introduces (opens in a new tab) HREE Global Project Rankings
New Rare Earth Exchanges rankings expose China's fragile dominance in the heavy rare earth element (HREE) sector
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, June 30, 2025 /EINPresswire.com (opens in a new tab)/ -- In an era where one gram of terbium can mean the difference between a functioning wind turbine and a grounded fighter jet, Rare Earth Exchanges LLC (REEx) today released its inaugural Global Heavy Rare Earth (HREE) ProjectRankings—a high-impact benchmark designed to bring transparency, strategic clarity, and investor intelligence to the world’s most opaque and high-stakes supply chain. This online tool follows the Global Light Rare Earth Project rankings.
The Rare Metal Bottleneck Everyone Overlooked
Heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium are critical to high-performance magnets used in everything from electric vehicles to F-35 fighter jets. Without them, clean energy and advanced defense systems grind to a halt.
Yet the reality is stark: China doesn’t just lead the HREE sector—it dominates it. But even Beijing’s grip relies on unstable channels. “Our rankings confirm what insiders already feared,” said John Parkinson, Chief Business Officer at REEx. “China’s control is not built solely on geology or processing—but on fragile, opaque supply chains, including high-risk sources in conflict zones, backed by the Chinese government.”
China’s Backdoor Deal in Myanmar Revealed
Following a shutdown of illicit HREE mining in Myanmar’s Kachin and Shan States, Beijing quietly cut a deal in early 2025 with rebel factions to restore terbium and dysprosium exports. That agreement—rarely discussed in public—was essential to easing pressure on Chinese processors and avoiding a magnet supply crisis.
“The China/Myanmar deal highlights an uncomfortable truth,” said Parkinson. “Global supply security currently hinges on non-state actors and informal mines in some of the world’s least stable regions.” The top-ranked HREE project in the REEx rankings? Not a corporation. Not a state-backed enterprise. But a rebel-held operation in Myanmar, producing an estimated 2,000 tonnes of Dy oxide and 400 tonnes of Tb oxide annually!
The West Lags—and Needs More Than Rhetoric
While companies like Lynas and MP Materials receive government backing, their ability to scale HREE production is limited without new feedstock sources. Lynas, ranking second overall, produces both Dy and Tb outside China—making it strategically vital—but must acquire new resources to meet long-term demand. MP Materials, despite strong ESG scores, sits in 6th place with comparatively low HREE reserves, at least for now.
Emerging players show promise but remain some years away from production:
• Brazilian Rare Earths (Brazil): With its Monte Alto project, it boasts meaningful Dy/Tb capacity, moderate ESG risk, but is still at a early stage in its development
• Northern Minerals (Australia): A strategic prospect but stalled by funding gaps and a Chinese takeover attempt that likely violated foreign ownership rules.
**Why REEx Rankings Matter Now
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REEx’s data-driven HREE Rankings assess tonnage, production capability, ESG compliance, and strategic scalability. They cut through promotional hype and political narratives to offer retail investors, government agencies as well as industrial strategists a clear-eyed view of the global HREE chessboard.
“What’s often overlooked,” Parkinson noted, “is that most HREE in the West is a by-product of light rare earth projects—not a primary target. Recovery is complicated. Volumes are limited. And true scalable production is exceedingly rare.”
Strategic Implications for Investors and Governments
For investors, the message is clear: HREE projects carry risk—but also outsized potential. Any ex-China project that can cross the finish line in the next 3–5 years will be highly valued as supply security becomes non-negotiable.
For policymakers across government and the private sector, the REEx Rankings should serve as a wake-up call: the West lacks scalable HREE supply, and the current dependency on China’s politically fragile routes is unsustainable.
About Rare Earth Exchanges, LLC
Rare Earth Exchanges (REEx), developed by Salt Lake City-based Rare Earth Exchanges LLC, is the first online platform dedicated to news, data, and analytics across the rare earth and critical mineral supply chain. Through rigorous analysis and real-time market intelligence, REEx empowers retail investors, industrial strategists, and government stakeholders to navigate the world's most consequential supply chains with clarity and conviction.
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Media Contact: Daniel O'Connor, Co-Founder, CEO
www.rareearthxchanges.com (opens in a new tab)
Daniel O'Connor
Rare Earth Exchanges
+1 925-570-7486
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