Jiangxi Province Reports Stable Rare Earth Prices in September as Annual Values Fall Up to 10%

Highlights

• High yttrium rare earth material averaged RMB 198,000 per metric ton in September, down 10% year-over-year despite no monthly change.
• China's low domestic prices can undermine Western separation project economics by making new investments less competitive against established Chinese infrastructure.
• REEx warns that Chinese domestic quotations do not reflect what Western manufacturers actually pay once export controls, qualification, and logistics costs are factored in.
• Light rare earths face oversupply while heavy rare earths face acute shortages, creating divergent risk profiles outside China.
• The critical market signal is the premium for verified, deliverable ex-China material, not the Chinese domestic price alone.