European dysprosium and terbium prices rise again, now roughly 15-19 times China's level
Outside China, heavy rare earths are quoted but hard to buy. European prices rose again days before China's export-control pause legally lapses on 10 November.
What happened
As of early 5 November Beijing time, SMM quoted European spot gadolinium oxide at $2,700-3,000/kg (up $100/kg), dysprosium oxide at $3,300-4,200/kg (up $150/kg) and terbium oxide at $7,300-8,300/kg (up $300/kg). Over the same period dysprosium oxide in the Chinese market was quoted at $215-220/kg.
SMM said European heavy rare earth inventories continued to shrink and trading volumes stayed low. Dysprosium, terbium and gadolinium were largely in a state of 'having prices but no available goods', and SMM described its quotes as for reference only.
Our take
On SMM's numbers, European dysprosium oxide is about 15 to 19 times the Chinese price. That spread is the cost of being outside China's licensing system. China's April 2025 controls on seven medium and heavy rare earths, including dysprosium and terbium, were never part of the 2025 truce pause, so this gap does not depend on what happens on 10 November.
SMM says trading is thin and its quotes are for reference only, so they signal scarcity more than they set a traded market price.
Why it matters for AI infrastructure
Dysprosium and terbium are added to neodymium magnets so they keep their strength at high temperatures. Those magnets go into motors, cooling fans, pumps and power equipment used across data centres and the grid that supplies them.
For non-Chinese magnet makers, feedstock at European prices pushes up component costs, and SMM's 'no available goods' description points to supply delays as well.
What we're watching
- Whether MOFCOM publishes a notice extending the suspension before 10 November
- European dysprosium and terbium quotes in the week after the deadline
- Any change to the gap between European and Chinese dysprosium prices
- Licence approvals under China's April 2025 controls, which were never paused
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